


A Promise She Keeps

by PhantasyStar



Category: Date A Live
Genre: But still plenty of Kurumi lewdness, Creampie, Cunnilingus, Emotional Slowburn, Even more foreplay, Experienced Kurumi, F/M, First Time, Foreplay, Hand Jobs, Loss of Virginity, Maybe too much foreplay, Multiple Orgasms, Oral Sex, Porn With Plot, Punishment, Rough Sex, Spanking, The lewdness potential of Kurumi's clones is fun, The smut to story ratio is falling by the word, Threesome - F/F/M, Vaginal Sex, fun with clones, so much plot, story with smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2020-05-28 11:09:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 29,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19392892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantasyStar/pseuds/PhantasyStar
Summary: To seal a Spirit, Shido must open their heart. Kurumi’s heart though, was a fortress. One closed shut by a promise that she would give everything; except for her power. A night of passion however, starts them down an arduous path as Shido and Kurumi confront friend, family and enemy alike, and ultimately, discover what they mean to each other.OR:Volume 16 if Shido didn’t get cockblocked by Westcott and the Nibelcol.





	1. A Promise She Keeps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘…a promise, that I will give you everything, except my reiryoku.’ Kurumi has never broken a promise. She does not intend to break this one either. Things become heated when it is made apparent that her everything involves her body.

_I’ve died and gone to heaven. Or maybe Kurumi’s already eaten me and she’s my angel._ Shido’s mind raced as he tried to process the bewitching sight in front of him.

Kurumi Tokisaki, the Worst Spirit, and strong candidate for the most beautiful Spirit, clad only in pure white lingerie, stood in front of him. Sensually, with grace beyond her years, Kurumi had loosened her skirt and blouse, which lay discarded at her feet as she revealed herself to him.

Until now, Shido would have never thought that pure white lingerie, exotic yet not intentionally erotic, could match up to the lacy, revealing black sets from the magazines that Tonomachi had tried to show him – or more fittingly, the set of lingerie that Kurumi’s clone had worn at his request. Yet somehow, Kurumi, with a light blush and a coy smile, managed to turn the white, innocent panties and matching bra into a devastating weapon of temptation surpassing Origami, Nia and Miku’s botched attempt at seduction _even with_ _purposely designed lingerie_.

“Shido-san…I gave you a promise,” Kurumi said as she began to move towards a spellbound Shido, her hips swaying seductively.

_…a promise, to give you my everything, except my reiryoku…_

Kurumi’s words echoed through his mind as she stepped closer. She was like a siren – her sweet voice, her honeyed words, the way she moved with all the grace and predatory intent of a panther – all of it rooted him to the spot, unable to move or look away as if his whole world was reduced to and centred on Kurumi.

Why couldn’t he move? It wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen the other Spirits in a similar state of undress before, or act with similarly amorous intentions. And hadn’t they tried to build up his resistance, aging themselves to try and seduce him? And as exciting as that was, he had been able to resist – albeit just barely. So what was it about Kurumi then, which made it so hard for him to turn away?

Maybe it was her teasing, seductive personality that few of the Spirits could hope to match. Maybe it was the tantalising aura of mystery around her. And maybe it was that little beat in his heart that glowed and sped up when he had to match wits with Kurumi, and that became even more prominent as Kurumi reached him.

Slowly, almost lovingly, Kurumi wrapped her arms behind his neck. Literally at arms-length, Kurumi met his eyes with her red and golden ones.

“H-hey, Kurumi…” Shido tried to break the tension hanging in the air. He made the mistake of breaking away from her gaze and looking down.

The sight of her milky white cleavage, soft, silky smooth and looking _oh-so-inviting_ snatched what little breath he still had away. His mouth went dry and his heart thumped faster than ever as he imagined, quite vividly, exactly what Kurumi was promising him.

With great difficulty, he forced his eyes to look at Kurumi and not her generous chest.

A small part of him however wanted nothing more than to tear off her remaining clothing and bury himself in her breasts. 

Kurumi took a step forward, the same coy smile still on her face. The sudden intrusion into his space caused Shido to take a step back.

Kurumi stepped forward again.

“K-Kurumi, wh-what are you doing..?” Shido desperately asked, his arms locked ramrod straight at his sides – afraid that if he touched her in her current state, he’d lose all control and turn into a raging monster the likes of which would make his feverish disaster a few months ago look tame – as he gave ground to Kurumi’s unrelenting advance.

Kurumi’s only response was to continue moving closer and closer.

Shido couldn’t help but to feel slightly unnerved at the situation; yet he couldn’t prevent a tremor of excitement that raced through him, sending the hairs on his arms standing on edge. He swallowed nervously. “Kurumi –”

He yelped suddenly in surprise as his leg struck the bed, tipping him backwards onto it. Quick as a flash, Kurumi suddenly dropped into his lap and straddled him, pinning him down and preventing him from escaping. The excitement and nervousness shot up tenfold, not helped by the fact that he was very conscious that her panty-clad crotch was directly above his – the mere thought of her womanhood grinding into him was causing him to harden in response.

“Shido-san,” Kurumi said, her voice low and husky, eyes half-lidded as she licked her lips. He found himself drawn to the sudden motion, fixated on her mouth and the wetness on her lips, and suddenly wanted nothing more than to kiss her, to snatch her soft lips between his own and taste her.

Kurumi kept speaking however, drawing his gaze away from her lips to meet her heterochromatic gaze.

“I did promise you,” Kurumi said, placing her hands on his shoulders.

Slowly, Kurumi traced her hands down Shido’s shoulders and arms, leaving behind an electrifying tingle that sent shivers racing down his spine.

“And I always keep my promises, Shido-san.” Kurumi suddenly pulled his hands to her bare shoulders before reaching behind her and undoing the clasp.

“Hey, Kurumi!” Shido panicked as he felt her smooth skin under his fingers. “Wait –!”

Kurumi did not wait as she took hold of his hands again, and guided his fingers underneath the straps of her bra and pulled them down. He held his breath as her bra fell away, revealing Kurumi in all her near-naked glory, the sight causing him to momentarily forget how to breathe.

Kurumi was beautiful.

Kurumi’s long, pitch-black hair fell over her shoulders, contrasting brilliantly against her porcelain-white skin. Her bangs, which usually served to cover her golden eye, a reminder of her supernatural nature, had parted to reveal hints of the eye underneath, a stark contrast to her other blood-red eye. He couldn’t help but stare and admire the rest of her body, willing himself to burn it into memory. Kurumi was the perfect embodiment of the feminine form; from her beautiful face, down to her slender waist that begged to be held, and flaring out to her hips that her panties still hugged. 

But it was her breasts which drew most of his attention. Kurumi’s Astral Dress emphasised her well-endowed body, and she enjoyed taking advantage of it to tease him, giving him glimpses into her cleavage, purposefully bending down to look at him in their previous interactions. Now that her breasts were free from her dress or any bra, they were more than he could’ve imagined. Large and perky, milky white and just as smooth as the rest of her body, capped with pink nipples that were stiffening in response to his attention – it took all of Shido’s willpower to resist reaching up and grabbing them.

Then Kurumi gently took hold of his hands, bringing them tantalisingly close to her chest – so close, he could almost feel the warmth radiating off Kurumi’s body.

Shido’s willpower wavered.

“Touch me, Shido-san,” Kurumi whispered seductively, hints of lust colouring her tone.

His willpower promptly shattered.

Reaching up and gently cupping and kneading Kurumi’s breasts, Shido couldn’t help but marvel at the softness and size of the flesh beneath his hands.

“Ohh…” Kurumi closed her eyes, and a low purr of satisfaction came from her throat as she enjoyed the feeling of Shido’s hands running across skin and squeezing her breasts.

Her purr suddenly became a gasp and her eyes shot open as Shido, emboldened by the noises she was making, rubbed his thumbs across her nipples, playing with her stiff buds. She gave him a playful smirk as he froze under her gaze.

“Ara ara~ Do you like what you feel, Shido-san?” Kurumi smiled coquettishly, enjoying the attention he was lavishing on her.

Shido nodded, barely trusting himself to speak.

“Then please, continue.” Kurumi coaxed him on, closing her eyes and letting out a sigh of pleasure as Shido’s hands resumed roaming across her flesh.

She let him play with her breasts for a time, before she heard him speak up.

“H-hey, Kurumi…” Shido sounded uncertain.

“Yes?”

She heard him swallow, clearly nervous about what he was about to ask. “Can – can I use my mouth?”

Kurumi grinned. Shido had clearly thrown any hesitation about what they were doing away, and he was so close to being _hers_. The thought sent a tingle of excitement down to her loins. But before that…Shido was still fully-clothed, while she sat on his lap only in her panties. Kurumi thought it fair that he return the favour. “Only if Shido-san takes off his clothes as well.”

Shido’s clothes flew off in record time. He threw his shirt off even as Kurumi helped him remove his pants, but leaving his underwear on.

He looked at her in confusion, but Kurumi only winked. “Not yet~”

The last remnants of his clothing were carelessly tossed to the floor, leaving him in a state of undress not so different from Kurumi. He blushed slightly as her eyes roamed over his body appreciatively – something which didn’t go unnoticed by Kurumi.

“Have you been with a woman before, Shido-san?” Kurumi asked, clearly amused by his reaction.

Shido shook his head.

“Ara ara~ How fortunate of me then,” Kurumi smiled. “Since it is your first time, I promise I will make this night special for you, Shido-san. Now please, come here.” Kurumi beckoned him forward in invitation. There was only the slightest hesitation before he pressed his lips to her breast.

The first touch of his lips and tongue on her skin caused Kurumi to let out a very uncharacteristic squeak, a spike of pleasure shooting into her core.

Shido stopped instantly, looking up at her with concern.

“N-no, keep going, it’s nice…” Kurumi’s breathing was becoming more and more uneven, and she moaned as Shido attacked her breasts relentlessly. He had one arm wrapped around her waist as if to prevent her from leaving, and kneaded her free breast with his other hand, groping flesh and stroking and tweaking her nipple. 

Shido’s head was swimming as he fell into sensory overload; Kurumi’s scent, feminine and pleasant, filled his nose, the taste of her skin as he kissed her soft breasts and lapped at them with his tongue, the sensual moans that came from her throat as he kissed her breasts more seductive and inviting than anything he could’ve imagined. The hand that supported Kurumi’s waist wandered lowered and squeezed her soft, shapely rear, the firm flesh moulding around his fingers, Kurumi letting out an appreciative hum in response. The Spirit was supporting herself on his thighs, her back arched to give him better access to her breasts, as if she was surrendering her very being to him.

He wanted more. He _needed_ more. The world boiled down to himself and Kurumi, twisting and writhing in pleasure in his lap, every other concern long forgotten.

Kurumi herself was not in a much more coherent state of mind, lost in the pleasure she felt as Shido suckled and lapped at her breasts. Shido was not the most experienced, but he more than made up with it with eagerness and energy as he devoted himself to her body like it was his temple. It had been so long since she had another lover, she briefly thought in a moment of clarity before Shido’s teeth found her nipple and gently nipped at it, eliciting a gasp from her and sending her thoughts spiralling away in a daze of pleasure. Kurumi was, depending on one’s point of view, either cursed or blessed with the ability to control time. But as Shido suckled at her nipple noisily, pleasure shooting into her very being, she was stuck in the present, unable and unwilling to consider anything more than the boy worshipping her breasts and the itch growing between her thighs. 

Kurumi could feel herself growing hotter and wetter under Shido’s attention. She subconsciously began to rock her hips back and forth against his hard length, seeking some sort of relief for the desire that was beginning to burn deep inside her.

Shido groaned as he felt Kurumi grinding herself back and forth on his crotch, pulling away from her breast. He was so hard that it almost physically hurt, and feeling Kurumi’s heat and dampness even through his underwear was causing him to harden even more in response despite feeling it was impossible. He was about to take her breast into his mouth again before Kurumi suddenly stopped him.

“Kurumi?” He panted, confused.

“It’s my turn,” Kurumi said, her own breathing ragged as she tried to steady herself. “You’ve been doing such a good job Shido-san, so I thought I should give you a little reward…”

She most definitely wasn’t going to admit that she was just about to orgasm from his attention to her breasts alone, and that she was trying to slow things down deliberately. Kurumi prided herself as a seductive femme fatale – she certainly wasn’t inexperienced in the matters of sex and pleasure – but the whole situation was highly arousing for her, and combined with the fact that it had been a long time since she had indulged in such carnal pleasures, every little touch on her sensitive breasts was just that little bit more electrifying.

Kurumi had intended to give him everything, her body included. It didn’t mean that she would let him _take_ it.

With a little more force than necessary, Kurumi shoved Shido back onto the bed, settling herself back on his thighs.

“H-hey Kurumi!” Shido protested before Kurumi hushed him.

The beautiful Spirit sitting on his legs smiled as she saw a large wet spot growing at the front of his underwear, and the impression of his length, straining to be free from its prison. “Ara ara~ Was this all because of me, Shido-san? Do I excite you that much?” 

Kurumi gently ran a finger down his erection, the faintest, teasing touch setting Shido’s already overworked nerves alight with desire. Shido let out a moan in response.

“Such a lovely sound, Shido-san.” Kurumi smiled wickedly, her domineering and sadistic nature came to the fore. “I wonder what sound Shido-san will make when I do this…” She started running her nails and fingertips lightly across the sensitive skin of his thighs. She traced next to the bulging impression of his erect penis, but always stopping short of actually touching. Shido’s hips bucked reflexively, chasing after Kurumi’s phantom-light touches and his length twitched each time Kurumi’s fingers came close, almost begging for Kurumi’s touch. Another, more desperate, moan escaped him.

“Ku-Kurumi, p-please-!”

“Ara, ara…how pitiful you sound right now, Shido-san.” Feeling merciful, Kurumi relented. “Because you said please, and I said I would give you a reward…”

She slowly removed his underwear, his penis springing free and standing erect. Kurumi noted with satisfaction that his swollen head was already glistening – evidently, she excited him as much as he did for her.

“How impressive, Shido-san,” Kurumi said, even as she wrapped her hand around his penis, and began to stroke him excruciatingly slowly.

Shido could barely reply at this point. He had masturbated before, but Kurumi’s hand gripping tightly around him was an entirely different experience. He turned into putty in her skilled hands, only being able to offer groans and attempts to say her name. Shido could feel his orgasm starting to build up as Kurumi’s strokes became harder and faster. He yelped as her thumb rubbed across his sensitive head, and a desperate whine escaped his lips as Kurumi suddenly slowed down, and began to stroke with exaggerated slowness. 

“Does it feel good, Shido-san? Is it better than when you do it by yourself?” Kurumi’s eyes were becoming lidded, as the intoxicating combination of her previous arousal, the smell of Shido’s wetness and the _power_ she felt over him, controlling his pleasure and working a series of pleading moans from his lips, set her own body alight with lust and desire. Her hand had become slick with his fluids, and his eyes met hers, the pleading look as he begged her with his eyes to continue only fuelling her desire even more.

Almost desperate for some relief of her own, Kurumi shifted up until her groin lightly grinded against the base of his cock. The merest touch of her panty-clad vagina against him elicited another groan from his throat as Kurumi began to stroke him again. “Did you ever masturbate, thinking about me?”

It was like a dream (or more appropriately, a nightmare). Kurumi’s question just barely penetrated the fog of pleasure surrounding his mind, the feeling of her hand gripping and pumping up and down his length, and her vagina brushing against his most sensitive skin with the lightest of touches rendering everything else inconsequential.

“Y-yes…” He could barely meet her gaze, a playful smirk adorning her features as he admitted one of his more shameful secrets.

“Such a good boy…” Kurumi whispered, her tone husky and seductive. “I think you deserve your reward now~”

Kurumi suddenly shifted again, lowering herself until she was lying on the bed, level with his crotch, her eyes never leaving his.

“Ku-Kurumi?” Shido asked, even though he had a good idea of what was about to happen. His voice had become even more breathless with anticipation.

“I hope you understand, Shido-san, that I don’t do this very often,” Kurumi said. “But, you are special…and I promised to give you everything.”

With that, Kurumi suddenly engulfed Shido’s erect length in her mouth.

Sensation, _pleasure_ , exploded in Shido’s head and a loud cry escaped his lips. Kurumi’s mouth was warm as she sucked him in, her soft lips wrapping and dragging around his penis, her tongue swirling around the swollen head as she began to slowly bob up and down. He instinctively lifted his hands to her head – the pleasure being so intense, he felt the need to ground himself in something physical, as though if he didn’t, he would fly off from the face of the Earth.

Kurumi gave a small moan of approval as he ran his hands through her silky black hair, never stopping her ministrations with her tongue. Shido had become an incoherent mess under her attention, only capable of moaning Kurumi’s name as the beautiful Spirit continued to use her mouth to pleasure him. 

It didn’t take long for him to reach his peak – he was amazed he didn’t explode the second Kurumi took him in her mouth – but as Kurumi continued to suck him into her mouth and run her tongue across his sensitive head, causing him to moan as the sensation threatened to overwhelm him, a tension began to build in him. He instinctively bucked his hips as Kurumi sunk down on him, nearly taking his entire length into her mouth, and Shido knew he wouldn’t last much longer.

“K-Kurumi, y-you’re so good,” he moaned as she met his gaze, her heavenly soft lips wrapped tightly around his cock – God she was so amazingly sexy he thought – the alluring sight causing some primitive desire to make her _his_ to swell up in him. “I-I can’t last much long– Kurumi!” He exclaimed as she suddenly drew him deeper into her mouth and simultaneously stroked his shaft forcefully, the slight pain and the feeling of being dominated amplifying the pleasure tenfold.

He let out a loud cry as he came, pleasure filling his mind as he emptied himself in Kurumi’s mouth. Nothing else mattered in that moment except for the feeling of Kurumi’s warm mouth still wrapped around him, and the euphoria spreading through his body as he came, Kurumi’s hand continuing to slowly stroke him until his orgasm subsided. He panted in the delirious afterglow, letting go of Kurumi’s hair and looking at her with a dazed expression as she slowly sat up.

Kurumi usually didn’t enjoy the aftermath of giving oral, but her own arousal was running high, and there was something about Shido that caused her desires to burn hotter than they had in a long time. Making sure that Shido was watching, Kurumi turned to the side and lifted her head, exposing her slender throat as she made a show of swallowing his seed and licking her fingers clean, and forever changing the meaning of her ‘eating’ him for Shido. Incredibly, the arousing sight caused his penis to twitch in response.

“Mmm, you taste delicious, Shido-san,” Kurumi smiled seductively at him, relishing in her handiwork. “Did you enjoy it?”

Shido nodded weakly before considering that it wasn’t enough to show how enjoyable it had been.

“It, it was amazing Kurumi,” Shido panted, still trying to recover from his first blowjob from Kurumi. The orgasm that she had given him was far beyond anything he could have imagined or had achieved by himself. But he was worked up now, fully absorbed into the moment. All that mattered was Kurumi. And he wanted nothing more greatly than to see and feel her womanhood. “Can, umm, well, can I do the same for you?” Shido asked awkwardly.

Kurumi however, didn’t seem bothered by his awkwardness.

“Ara ara~ How kind of you Shido-san.” The smile never leaving her face, Kurumi fell onto the bed and pulled Shido on top with her superior strength, cupping his face with her hand. “Then, won’t you make me feel good, Shido-san…please?”

Shido nodded his assent and instinctively moved to kiss her. Kurumi stopped him with a finger on his lips.

“Not on these lips Shido-san,” Kurumi murmured. That was the one thing she was still not willing to give to him. She would surrender just about anything else but that.

“Sorry Kurumi,” Shido apologised. He shook his head – he hadn’t actually been intentionally thinking about kissing her, but it just felt…right. Natural even. As if he wanted to deepen the connection even a little. Thoughts of trying to seal her had not even entered his mind. Pushing past the slight disappointment, Shido began to kiss and nuzzle Kurumi’s sensitive neck as if to make up for it. His hand found her breast and softly massaged it, Kurumi letting out a satisfied murmur in response.

His hand descended, moving lightly across the curve of Kurumi’s breasts, past the smooth skin of her stomach, towards her womanhood. Kurumi sucked in her breath as his fingers lingered at the waistband of her panties before Shido cautiously traced his finger down the front of her panties. Kurumi groaned in response, feeling the delicious friction of Shido’s finger pressing against her lower lips through the damp material of her panties.

Kurumi moaned and panted as Shido, still nuzzling the curve of her neck, cupped her sex with his fingers and started rubbing her through her panties, the stimulation of his fingers and the material of the lingerie pressing against her sensitive lips driving Kurumi to ever-increasing heights of arousal. 

Breathing heavily, Kurumi took Shido’s face in her hands, and lifted him up to look directly into his eyes. “Lick me, Shido-san. I want to feel your tongue,” Kurumi said, in a tone coloured with lust and one that brokered no room for disagreement.

Not that disagreement had ever crossed his mind. Shido nodded and pressed his lips to her neck again, and slowly began to descend, caressing her collarbone and moving down further.

As Shido kissed his way down her body, Kurumi’s breathing became more erratic. She began to twitch in response to his kisses, and let out a giggle when he reached her navel. The sounds Kurumi made slowly took on a more carnal nature as he drew closer to her womanhood. He stopped at the junction of her thighs, willing himself to remember every little detail. Kurumi’s panties were damp with her arousal and her scent, feminine and musky, became even stronger, urging him forward. As if feeling his hesitation, Kurumi intertwined her hands in his hair, and gently tugged him forward into her nether region, her panties the only barrier between him and her flesh.

A cautious lick caused Kurumi to let out a small hiss of pleasure. Encouraged, he became bolder, licking and tonguing her panty-clad pussy, trying to gleam a taste of Kurumi’s nectar through her panties. Her scent became stronger, and eventually, frustrated with the material that separated him from her, Shido sat up and grabbed the waistband of her panties, trying to yank them off.

Surprised at his boldness, and equal parts aroused and frustrated, Kurumi quickly lifted her hips allowing Shido to strip off her panties.

Now that she was completely naked, Shido could see Kurumi’s body in all of her glory. Kurumi’s cheeks and upper body had taken a flushed hue, her breasts rising and falling with each breath. Her lower lips were slightly engorged and puffy, glistening enticingly with her arousal. He lowered his head to her sex, chest pounding in anticipation. His first true lick of her pussy sent a sudden shock of pleasure shooting through Kurumi, and she gasped, her arms flinging out to the side of the bed.

“O-oh, keep going Shido-san,” Kurumi moaned.

Shido was only too happy to oblige her.

With the same vigour as before, he eagerly dove into her nether regions, his tongue lapping at her lower lips, pulling and gentling suckling at them as if he could draw out more of her sweet nectar. The sudden onslaught took Kurumi by surprise and she mewled and writhed in pleasure as his tongue explored her vagina.

She hissed suddenly as Shido’s eagerness and inexperience showed through, harshly tonguing her sensitive labia. “Gently Shido-san, gently please. I’m very sensitive down there.”

Kurumi’s inner masochist however, revelled in the pain.

With little nudges and suggestions, Kurumi coaxed and guided Shido as he slowly ate her out, sighing in pleasure as he licked her pussy much more carefully. Beginning to get a feel for Kurumi’s sensitivity and her preference, he soon no longer needed her guidance and became bolder. Kurumi moaned loudly as his tongue dragged sloppily along her lower lips, sucking them gently into his mouth and lapping up her arousal like a dying man in a desert would drink from an oasis. Experience be damned, Kurumi thought, she was so turned on and aroused right now, that any touch on her sensitive vagina was pushing her towards her imminent orgasm. She gave a breathless gasp when Shido’s tongue suddenly parted her wet folds and wormed its way into her vagina, seeking more of her honey, and by the time Shido found her clitoris, Kurumi was already close to tipping over the edge. 

“Sh-shido, right there, yes right there, keep going, keep going, keep going, please, don’t stop, I’m so close - !” Kurumi half-babbled breathlessly, forgetting the use of honorifics, throwing away any thought of her image as the seductress, losing coherent thought as she focused purely on the tongue that was swirling away at her sensitive nub. She clawed at the covers, twisting and rocking her hips to force more of his tongue against her flesh. Her hand came up and grabbed Shido’s hair, forcing him deeper between her thighs, shining with the mixture of his saliva and her own arousal, her mewls of pleasure only encouraging him to continue lapping away at her pussy.

Her half-vocalised sentences soon gave way to moans as she held Shido and his wonderful tongue at her clit, grabbing at her own breast with her free hand, kneading her flesh and pinching her nipple between her fingers, sending little spikes of pain mixing in with her pleasure and driving her wild with stimulation, as she edged closer and closer to the brink.

For a few endless moments, time seemed to slow for Kurumi as she teetered at the peak of her climax. 

Then she fell over the edge.

Kurumi shrieked in ecstasy as her orgasm crashed into her with all the subtlety of a tsunami. Her entire body shook with the intensity of her orgasm and her thighs came up and clamped around Shido’s head, locking his tongue to her clit and prolonging her orgasm. Waves of pleasure rolled over her, setting every nerve on fire. Kurumi could only ride out her orgasm, quivering and gasping until her pleasure finally subsided. Breathing heavily, her heart racing, Kurumi groaned, eyes closed while savouring the euphoria of her climax. Her legs fell bonelessly to the bed, freeing Shido. 

“….mmm. Shido-san?” Kurumi opened her eyes, looking for the boy who had just eaten her out.

He was sitting between her legs, staring at her with something akin to awe and embarrassment, his chin shining with her arousal. 

She smiled as she pulled him closer, her breasts pressing against his chest before she unashamedly began to lick her own fluids off his face. “Did you lie to me before, Shido-san?” Kurumi whispered into his ear, nibbling at his earlobe for good measure, her breath tickling skin and sending shivers down his spine. “Because that was…really good.”

Even though he had moments ago been buried between Kurumi’s legs, he couldn’t help but become embarrassed at Kurumi’s actions. “N-no, I didn’t lie to you…”

“I know,” was the response, yet Kurumi didn’t stop. “When Shido-san tries to lie, I can tell.”

What _did_ cause her to stop though was the sudden feeling of his penis poking at her thigh. Kurumi looked down and back up at Shido, who was now thoroughly embarrassed, before she smiled in amusement.

“Ara ara, did I not satisfy you enough, Shido-san?”

“No you did –” Shido yelped as he was suddenly flipped around and pinned onto the bed, Kurumi again straddling him. She ran a finger down his chest.

“Shido-san, really, didn’t I say not to lie to me?”

Kurumi leaned down, a cat-like grin on her face, her arms resting on either side of his head, his stiff manhood pressing against her rear as she placed her mouth next to his ear. “Did hearing me scream turn you on that much? Hmmmm?” 

Blushing furiously (he had in fact, found her screams extremely arousing and gratifying), Shido half-stammered a response. Before he could reply fully, Kurumi began rocking her hips again, rubbing her rear against his sensitive shaft, stealing away any words he might have had.

“I’m glad you’re ready again, Shido-san, because _I_ … _want_ … _more_ …” Kurumi said, her voice dropping to a deadly, seductive whisper.

Her first orgasm, powerful as it was, had helped to take the edge off Kurumi’s arousal. But Kurumi wasn’t satisfied yet, and she had promised to give him everything without hesitation. She had one part of her that she had yet to give him. And beyond that, there was a tiny, niggling desire in the back of her head that wanted to claim Shido’s virginity for herself.

Kurumi sat back up, settling her weight on Shido’s lap, and more pertinently, resting her lower lips against Shido’s shaft, nestling the tip of his erection between her folds. The heat and wetness on his sensitive head caused Shido to groan again.

“Mmmm, did you enjoy that, Shido-san?” Kurumi asked, continuing to rock her hips, barely taking him inside her. “Imagine what it would be like, to actually be _inside_ me…”

Her teasing had the desired effect. Shido started to try and buck against her, attempting to get more of that delicious heat, to bury himself in her and thrust until he came. It also had the unexpected effect of causing his hardness to run along her wet folds and rub against her clit, the sudden contact and friction causing Kurumi to gasp in surprise.

She recovered quickly, and smirked. “Ara, how eager of you Shido-san…do you want me that much?”

Not waiting for an answer, Kurumi lifted herself up and positioned herself over his erect penis. Heart pounding in anticipation, Shido watched, enraptured, as Kurumi slowly began to sink down on his length. Kurumi had had just barely allowed him to penetrate her hot and wet sex with the head of his cock, the sensation causing him to moan. But Kurumi halted, balanced in a precarious position as she gave him another playful smirk.

“Do you want me, Shido-san? Do you want me to fuck you?” She rolled her hips expertly, taking the barest amount of him into her heat, a promise of what awaited him should he give an answer that she liked. Shido half-mumbled, half-moaned a positive.

“Hmm? What was that, Shido-san? Yes?” Kurumi’s smile was positively wicked. “Then please, beg me.”

Dignity was the last thing on his mind at the moment. “Kurumi…please…”

“Please what? Do tell, Shido-san.”

Kurumi certainly wasn’t making it easy for him but he knew what she wanted to hear. “Please…fuck me…”

If it was possible, Kurumi’s smirk grew wider. “If that is what Shido-san wants, then how could I refuse?”

Torturously slowly, Kurumi lowered herself onto Shido’s erection centimetre by agonising centimetre. Hot and wet flesh parted and engulfed his manhood, until Kurumi finally bottomed out. Joined together in ecstasy, they both moaned at the intense pleasure and completeness of their coupling.

For a moment, neither of them said anything, savouring the moment. A thrill of pleasure ran through Kurumi at the realisation she had taken Shido’s first time. Enjoying the feeling of Shido’s hard cock filling her up, Kurumi leaned over him and supported herself with her hands on his chest.

“How is it, Shido-san? Does my pussy feel good? You’re not a virgin anymore, how does it – ah!” Kurumi gasped as she shifted her position, the movement drawing him against her walls.

“Kurumi –” Shido choked around his barely responsive throat. Kurumi’s flesh was tightly clamped around his sensitive penis, the sensation nearly driving him insane with pleasure. He never could’ve imagined the intensity of moment, even in his wildest dreams.

“I know,” Kurumi breathed, as she rolled her hips against his in a circular motion, trying to take even more of his length inside her. The look of sheer euphoria on his face, as he saw himself buried in her, before meeting her eyes, was enough to answer her rhetorical question. “You feel so good inside me too, Shido-san…”

Shido’s hands found her hips and he gripped them tightly, as he began to try and buck against her, pushing her up slightly before trying to pull her down onto his shaft, thrusting himself back into her heat. As slight as the motions were, the feeling of Shido’s hard shaft rubbing her inner walls caused Kurumi to whimper in pleasure as she began to meet his thrusts. She lifted herself more and more until only the tip of his penis remained in her, before she slammed herself back down, letting out a long moan as he penetrated her deeply. 

Instinct took over Shido as he began to clumsily thrust up, hilting himself into the Spirit sitting on top of him. Kurumi’s moans only served to fuel his desire as he sought more of her delicious heat and wetness, the feeling of her walls gripping him as she parted around his length sending pleasure straight to his loins. 

In his inexperience, Shido mistimed one of his thrusts, causing him to suddenly slip out of Kurumi and slide along her wet folds with a slick noise. Kurumi groaned in disappointment at the sudden emptiness within her.

“Let, let me do it, Shido-san,” Kurumi gasped. Reaching back, she grabbed his length and repositioned him at her entrance, before smoothly sliding back, filling herself again, hissing in pleasure. Slowly, she rocked her hips back and forth, coaxing Shido to gently push up against her. 

They settled into a rhythm, Kurumi taking the lead as she slowly guided him through his first intimate experience with a woman. It would have been too easy, too quick for Kurumi just to lift herself up and slam back down on him until he came. No, this was something different. Something more than just sex. Kurumi wanted Shido to feel and enjoy every second of her hot flesh sliding down him. She wanted to hear more of his moans, wanted him to know who was giving him the best night of his life. Even as his rock-hard cock slid deeper inside of her, Kurumi bit her lip and trembled in excitement, and could slowly start to feel her composure break. It was a mutual pleasure, their motions driving each other wild with excitement and desire. The room filled with the smell of sex, their moans and the slick sound of Shido’s shaft sliding through Kurumi’s wet folds.

Yet despite this, no matter how close to him Kurumi became, arms on either side of his head as she slowly ground her flesh down on his, her mismatched eyes staring hungrily into his, she never, ever approached his lips with her own.

Shido gritted his teeth and moaned as Kurumi rode him, her tight walls causing unimaginably pleasurable friction against his sensitive head. He was going to come again soon – he could already feel the tension swelling inside him. He held back as much as humanly possible, trying to resist the urge to come and to fill Kurumi with his seed, wanting to bring her to climax before him and meeting her thrusts as best he could no matter the fact that Kurumi was in control. His hands found her breasts and took hold of them, rolling and pinching her nipples between his fingers, sending little shocks of wonderful pain through Kurumi and setting her nerve endings on fire, causing Kurumi to let out another cry of pleasure as her hips came down on his again.

Through the haze of desire, lust and pleasure that clouded both of them as they coupled, Shido did his best to remember every minute detail of the moment. It was a fruitless endeavour, as only snatches of it would likely remain – the sensuous moans that escaped Kurumi’s lips, her breasts bouncing and swaying as she continued to meet his thrusts, the way her mouth parted slightly as she panted and licked her lips, lidded eyes clouded with lust gazing back at him.

Nearly overwhelmed by the pleasure of being inside Kurumi, Shido almost didn’t notice an almost imperceptible change in Kurumi’s actions. As passionate as she was before, Kurumi still maintained a semblance of control, as she alternated between taking him within her, and grinding her hips against his to rock his penis against her slick walls. But now, Kurumi’s thrusts against his length were becoming harder and faster. Her hands were gripping his shoulders almost painfully, and there was a new look in her eyes – passion, longing, desire and…desperation?

Any thoughts fled his mind shortly as Kurumi sped up, near-constantly taking him in her, overwhelming him with friction and pleasure as her sex tightly gripped his cock, forcing out any other thoughts. It was a constant bombardment of pleasure and sensory overload, and it pushed him over the edge as he began to feel the dam inside him break, pleasure threatening to burst out in a more physical sense.

“Ku-Kurumi, I’m going to come!” Shido tried to warn her, his voice cracking as Kurumi slammed herself down on him again.

Kurumi seemed to barely pay any heed to his words, continually impaling herself on his length. Far from discouraging her, his warning only drove her wilder.

“That’s it Shido, please, come for me, come inside me, I need to feel it, I need to feel you, please please please…” Kurumi spoke in short breaths between thrusting his cock inside her, desperately seeking her orgasm, almost begging him to come inside her and to fill her with his release.

Their hips met again in unison, driving Shido deeper within her. That final thrust was enough to push him over the edge and he suddenly cried out as he erupted inside Kurumi, his orgasm slamming into him with enough force that he sat up and crushed Kurumi to his chest, slamming her hips against his and burying himself as much he could into her as he came.

Kuurmi screamed in response, the feeling of Shido’s seed striking her inner walls as he came inside her sending her second orgasm of the night crashing into her. Her muscles clamped tightly around his penis as she convulsed in pleasure, milking him dry of every last spurt. Quivering from the sheer pleasure, Kurumi could do nothing more than hold onto Shido tightly until her climax finally ended.

Completely exhausted yet satisfied, Kurumi collapsed bodily against Shido’s chest, falling back onto the bed in each other’s embrace, panting as they tried to recuperate from the intensity of their orgasms.

Shido let out a groan as his softening penis slipped out of Kurumi, shivering at the sudden cold and friction. He still hugged Kurumi against him, listening as she panted and shook from the little aftershocks of pleasure still running through her body. Still amazed at what they had just done and what he had experienced – including the loss of his virginity – he summoned the strength to speak, a normally everyday action rendered all the more Herculean with the complete lack of energy he felt. 

“That,” he stopped as his voice broke, and he swallowed and started again. “Kurumi, that was amazing. _Thank you_.”

He felt connected to Kurumi in every way possible, emotionally, mentally and physically, and he poured out his heartfelt thanks to her for sharing such a special moment with him. The exhaustion that permeated him from their frenzied lovemaking couldn’t prevent a deep sense of satisfaction as he held Kurumi against his chest, nor could it prevent the happy smile that settled on his face. Truly there was no other comparable experience for Shido. He could die, quite happily, now. The world was complete, and it consisted only of him and the beautiful, exhausted Spirit in his arms.

Kurumi finally shifted, letting out a pleased sigh as she lifted her head and met his gaze, head tilted in a flirtatious manner. “To hear such thanks from you Shido-san, and after making me come quite a few times tonight as well…you really know how to please a girl,” Kurumi smiled as she rested her head against his chest. “I’m glad you enjoyed it, Shido-san.”

No more words were said. Shido began to caress Kurumi’s hair, gently tracing through her silky black locks as they settled into each other, basking in the warm afterglow. The warmth didn’t last, as the chilliness in the air eventually forced them into the covers, shuffling around with Kurumi pulling the blanket over them.

“Hey, Kurumi?”

“Mmm?” Kurumi let out a sleepy acknowledgement for him to continue. 

Hugging Kurumi to his chest, feeling her warm body press snugly into his as if they had been made for each other, it was difficult for Shido to reconcile the Kurumi he thought he knew half a day ago, with the Kurumi now who had shared everything with him, who showed tantalising hints of vulnerability and humanity of the girl underneath. Even though he knew her goal and title as she proclaimed it, and that normally being close to and alone with someone who had admitted to wanting to eat him would rank quite highly as a stupid idea, he felt _safe_ and _protective_ of the girl in his arms. For that, he had to ask her.

“What happens to us now? Does this change anything? Are we – ?”

Kurumi hushed him with a finger to his lips.

“Sssh. Not now,” Kurumi said tiredly, not moving from her position on his chest. “Please, can we just enjoy this for tonight? Tomorrow, I will tell Shido-san everything. I promise.”

Shido guessed that there had to be some reason Kurumi didn’t want to address the issue tonight. Relaxing at the fact that she wasn’t planning to leave, he nodded. It wasn’t a hard choice really – he was tired and wanted nothing more than to sleep now. Kurumi's breathing had slowed too, becoming rhythmic as she began to slumber. Shido could feel his eyelids drooping as Kurumi’s warm and comforting presence also began to draw him towards sleep. 

Tomorrow. Kurumi had promised that tomorrow, they would find out what they were. As much as he wanted to know what their relationship would be now, Shido was okay with waiting. He wasn’t worried.

He knew Kurumi always kept her promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear that this was only meant to be 2000 words. And then Shido and Kurumi got their hands on each other and things got out of control. 
> 
> Moral of the story boys and girls? Foreplay is important.
> 
> First time writing smut. Please let me know if there’s anything that can be improved upon. Also if this turned out to be 7000+ words of smexy purple prose then I apologise. Or I don’t, actually. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it!


	2. A Promise He Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Shido and Kurumi deal with the consequences of spending the night together. Spoiler warnings for volume 16 at the end.

Morning. The promise of another day.

A day that promised to be entirely different when Shido woke up and noticed his surroundings.

He wasn’t on his bed.

He wasn’t in his room.

That he wasn’t alone.

That realisation alone was enough to jerk him upright, the single fact piercing cleanly through the morning fog of sleep. And the fact was made all the more apparent when the figure next to him rose up sleepily and yawned, jostled awake by his sudden movements.

Heart hammering, Shido stared at Kurumi as the sheets slipped off her shoulder to pool around her lap, revealing her naked body to him. Then Kurumi stretched, smiling when she saw his gaze lingering on her chest.

“Good morning, Shido-san. Did you sleep well?”

“G-good morning Kurumi,” Shido stuttered.

A confusing mass of emotions swirled within the boy. How should he respond? Or feel? Shido had no clue where to even start. Kurumi had offered up her body to him last night as she had promised. As a result, he had lost his virginity in mind-blowingly amazing sex with her. It was certainly an experience he wouldn't be forgetting any time soon. He couldn’t help but feel giddy at the thought, his heart racing as he remembered. The sensations of the previous night; of her hot and wet flesh tightly clamped around his, him sliding perfectly into her as if they were specially made for each other, of his orgasm as he came, still buried deep in Kurumi; all of these were like a drug. He wanted to experience it again. But the emotional side of him struggled.

He was attracted to Kurumi – how could he not? She was beautiful, mysterious, charming; so much so, it was easy to forget that she had murdered and killed of her volition. But even in the face of that fact, he couldn’t push her away, or smother the feelings smouldering in his heart. It was her memories that still stayed with him. Hope that turned to pain, happiness to anger, friendship to betrayal. Cast out into the cold, unforgiving world with nothing more than the dress on her back, the gun in her hand and the anger in her heart. Shido had a soft spot for those who the world rejected, himself having experienced it. And everything Kurumi showed him, set off a burning desire in his heart to embrace her, and show her a world away from the hurt and pain.

It wasn’t the sex itself that ignited the feelings swelling up in him. It was those tantalising glimpses of the girl underneath. Not quite vulnerable – he’d hesitate to ever describe Kurumi as vulnerable – but softer, more caring. Almost tender in her affections. The hints which promised Kurumi could be so much more than the irredeemable girl she claimed to be.

But his emotions struggled with a sense of guilt from a place he couldn’t put a finger on. Was it guilt, for taking Kurumi up on her promise? Or was it guilt, from neglecting the other Spirits? 

Forcing aside the swirling, conflicting emotions inside of him, Shido swallowed. “I did sleep well, and yourself?”

“How kind of you, Shido-san. I also slept very well…” Kurumi smiled as she swung her leg over his hips, straddling him and leaning in close. Her hot breath tickled his ear. “…and I could get used to this – waking up with Shido-san in my bed…”

The sheer eroticism in Kurumi’s voice sent shivers running down his spine, and blood racing to a specific part of his body. Kurumi grinned as she felt him harden beneath her, and slowly began to rock her hips back and forth –

A shrill beeping erupted from a phone on the table. It startled them enough to cause Kurumi to stop and dragged their attention to the time. Panic again promptly stepped in.

“Damn it!” Shido cursed as he suddenly realised that they were late for school. “Kurumi, Kotori – ”

“Kotori-san already knows of your absence, Shido-san,” Kurumi said, rolling off him and getting out of the bed. She walked over to the wardrobe in the corner, plucked a set of clothing off the handle and handed it to Shido. It was his school uniform he had been wearing yesterday, freshly cleaned and pressed. He stared at it, confused, before Kurumi pushed it against him. “Please get dressed Shido-san, otherwise we’ll be late.”

He hastily threw on the uniform. He certainly hoped that the freshness of the clothes would mask any other, lingering smells from the night before. Kurumi – one of her clones most likely – must have cleaned his uniform last night, as he distinctly remembered throwing off his clothes at Kurumi’s request. It was a surprisingly kind gesture of her, and it only added to the confusing mess that were his feelings about Kurumi. As he dressed, he sneaked glances at Kurumi as she slipped into her underwear and bra before shrugging on a crisp white shirt. He was mesmerised, barely paying attention to his own hands as he watched her pull the rest of the uniform on and button up her black jacket.

And then suddenly, she was standing in front of him, tying her hair into their tails and pulling her bangs to cover her left eye.

“Ara, Shido-san,” Kurumi blinked in mild surprise as she looked him over. “You can’t go out looking like this. Here, let me help you.”

“H-hey Kurumi-!” Shido’s surprise was cut short as Kurumi stepped in close with a faint smile, and loosened his tie. He couldn’t help but inhale as she stepped closer, her scent filling his nose – how did she still smell so good after all their physical exertion last night?

Her hands moved swiftly as she re-buttoned his shirt that he had messed up while lost in his thoughts, tugged and straightened out his jacket and neatly redid his tie. Shido wasn’t absolutely certain, but he felt that her light touches against his chest as she fixed his clothing were gentle and caring. By the time he had shaken himself out his thoughts, Kurumi was finished with his clothing and started combing through his hair with her hand, flattening out any unruly locks. In moments, he was presentable again.

“There.” Kurumi stepped back. “Much better. You look very handsome, Shido-san.”

“Ah...”

An awkward silence filled the room as the two of them realised that they had more or less enacted the roles of a loving wife seeing her husband off to work. Kurumi’s cheeks flushed a light hue of red.

“We, uh, should get going,” Shido offered. As much as he wanted to find out more about Kurumi, the two of them were already likely causing rumours at school given the scene that he had made when asking her out yesterday. Showing up late, together, was akin to dumping petrol onto a fire. 

“Y-yes, you’re right Shido-san. Then, let’s go.” Kurumi blushed before heading for the door, where her and Shido’s bags were sitting.

Slipping on her shoes, Kurumi waited for Shido before the two of them began hastily walking towards school. 

Knowing that Origami and Tohka, Kaguya and Yuzuru were waiting for him, and having spent the night with Kurumi, Shido couldn’t help but feel as if he was walking towards his own doom, with the Grim Reaper herself escorting him straight to it.

* * *

“Shido!”

“Shido.”

The moment that Shido and Kurumi stepped into class, mere minutes before homeroom started, two girls instantly stood up.

The two of them were worlds apart in their appearance, but neither any less beautiful or attractive than the other. Tohka, with her long dark purple hair and taller, curvier appearance, stood a stark contrast to Origami, with her short, pale hair and leaner build, but both of them had the same look of relief on their face as they saw Shido arrive.

They also adopted the same look of displeasure when they saw Kurumi standing next to him. Even worse, she was still holding onto Shido’s arm, much to his simultaneous panic and enjoyment.

“Are you okay Shido?” Tohka made a beeline for him as usual, followed closely by Origami.

“We were worried about you.”

Shido laughed nervously. “Ah, it’s alright you two, good morning. Nothing happened last night – Origami, I’m okay, really…” The pale, doll-like girl seemed intent on patting him down.

“I need to check you for injuries.” Her hands however, were starting to become more intimate and probing.

He couldn’t really blame them for causing such a scene in the class however. As Kurumi had promised that they would settle their game yesterday, and since they could still sense the enormous amount of spiritual energy in the dark Spirit, it was only natural to assume that he had not been successful in sealing her. It made the other, far more dangerous conclusion suddenly much more real. One that fortunately, had not come to pass.

“Good morning to you, Tohka-san, Origami-san,” Kurumi smiled as she interposed herself between Shido and Origami, stepping close enough to cause Origami to stop and glare at her.

“Kurumi…” Tohka clenched her fist. “What have you done to Shido?”

“Don’t get close to my Shido. You are dangerous, and untrustworthy.” Origami’s sentiment mirrored Tohka’s in a rare moment of agreement.

If the cold reception presented by the two Spirits bothered Kurumi, she didn’t show it.

“Ara ara…to be greeted in such a fashion, it really pains my heart to be treated with so much distrust from my fellow students,” Kurumi said, burying her face in her hands in mock distress. “After all, Shido-san is here, safe and sound, and I have done nothing _unpleasant_ to him, wouldn’t you agree Shido-san?” She gave Shido a knowing smile as she lifted her face from her hands. 

“Don’t be so complicated!” Tohka pushed closer. She paused as a hint of Shido’s familiar scent, mixed with something peculiar, caught her attention.

“Muuuu…” Tohka sniffed the air around him closely, and Shido felt a cold sweat break out on the back of his neck. Tohka’s eyes widened in shock as she realised what the unfamiliar smell on Shido was…or rather, who it belonged to. “Shido, why do you have Kurumi’s smell all over you?!”

As if fate had intervened, the entire classroom fell silent as Tohka spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. Origami immediately fixed Kurumi with a glare so intense that Shido was surprised Kurumi didn’t suddenly drop dead from the sheer venom in Origami’s eyes.

Mere moments later, furious whispers from his classmates broke out.

_“Hey, didn’t Itsuka-kun ask Tokisaki-san out for Valentines?”_

_“I thought he would’ve asked Yatogami…”_

_“They came in together, did they spend the night in each other’s arms?”_

_“Did Itsuka defile our pure, innocent Tokisaki? That bastard!”_

Shido hung his head in resignation of his fate. The rumours had started, and with them, what little good reputation he had left was about to die a grisly death. He and Kurumi were about to become the latest talk of the school. And given the looks that Tohka and Origami were shooting at him, it wasn’t the only talk he had to worry about anymore.

* * *

School became an ordeal and a half. Shido had two immediate problems.

The first was that since Tohka’s exclamation and accusation, rumours that Shido had spent the night with Kurumi exploded like a wildfire. Shido found himself receiving reactions sitting on exact opposite ends of the spectrum: knowing nudges and grins, or death glares. Sandwiched between Origami and Tohka, he was well aware of the concerned glances that they shot him when they weren’t paying attention to the class, as well as their attempts at trying to glare Kurumi out of existence. Halfway through the day and already knee-deep in stares and whispers, Shido gave up trying to do anything other than valiantly focus on the class.

The second was Kurumi herself.

Kurumi had taken her usual seat, which in and of itself, was not an unusual occurrence. What was unusual however, was how he couldn’t stop looking at her. He hadn’t noticed before, as the time she had spent at school with him was minimal, but he had the perfect view of Kurumi from his seat if he glanced from the corner of his eye.

And what a view it was.

Every time he looked over, he began seeing so many things about her that he hadn’t noticed before while she had been at school: the curve of her back as she sat, leaning forward, seemingly paying rapt attention to the class; the way her jacket tightened just right against her form, and how the black material of her tights stretched magnificently across her thighs, giving the barest hint of the luscious flesh beneath. Every stolen glance reminded him of her naked body, twisting and writhing on top of him and the memories and phantom feelings of her fingers running across his body was sending shivers running down his arms and excitement to his groin…

_Stop, stop…_

Shido wondered if it was like this for everyone – not being able to focus on anyone but the person they shared such an intimate experience with. But even he had to admit that it was a small price to pay for that night. So lost in his thoughts, Shido only noticed that class was over when he realised his name was being called.

“Shido-san. Shido-san.”

“Ah!” Shido was startled out of his thoughts when he suddenly realised it was Kurumi standing in front of his desk, arms behind her back and smiling gently as if she wasn’t aware of (or far more likely, deliberately chose to ignore) the glares Tohka and Origami were shooting at her.

“Do you have lunch?” Kurumi asked.

It was something that Kurumi should’ve known, since she had been with him since their date yesterday. He decided to humour her.

“Ah no, but I was going to go to get something.” 

Kurumi grinned, and brought out the box she had been holding behind her back, proffering the packed lunch to him. “How fortunate then, that _we_ prepared another for you, Shido-san.”

“Oh, uh, thank you, Kurumi,” Shido smiled nervously as he took the box, well aware of the looks that he was receiving.

The whispers started up again.

_“Did Tokisaki-san prepare lunch for him?”_

_“Are they secretly married already?”_

The sweat building up on his neck once more, he opened the box, revealing a very packed and delicately prepared lunch. His stomach growled in hungry anticipation. 

“Shido, you mustn’t eat it. It has to be poisoned,” Origami said seriously. “Eat mine instead. I most definitely haven’t added any substances to it.” 

“Y-yeah, nothing good can come from Kurumi’s cooking…” Tohka trailed off as the smell reached her nose, and her mouth started watering. 

“Ahhhh…” Shido briefly wondered how it had come to this, when his phone buzzed and alerted him to a message.

 _The_ Fraxinus _will pick you up after school and you will definitely make yourself available. We need to talk. – Kotori_.

A location followed, indicating where he was supposed to go after.

Shido sighed. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Fortunately for Shido, the rumours started to die down somewhat as school finally drew to a close. His classmates became more focused on cleaning up and going home rather than speculating on Shido’s relationships with Kurumi, Tohka and Origami, and the nature of his previous existences that allowed him to garner the affections of the three most beautiful girls in the class.

Unfortunately for Shido, his day was not yet over as three Spirits gathered around his desk. Tohka and Origami were flanking him closely like ever-watchful guardians, as if they could ward away Kurumi, standing in front of him, through their mere presence alone. Shido was also dreading the conversation that Kotori was planning to have with him after. She hadn’t specified what it was about, but Shido could guess, and he doubted it was going to be pleasant regardless.

“So Shido-san, about our little game…” Kurumi smiled coquettishly at him, touching a finger to her lips. “Would you like to spend more time together tonight? It’s a shame I wasn’t able to resolve it last night…”

“Sorry Kurumi. I have something to do tonight, so I will have to say no for now.” Shido shook his head.

“Ara, is that so? I wonder what it may relate to,” Kurumi grinned. “Very well. I had planned to spend more time to get to know you even better, but this is also acceptable. I will take my leave for now Shido-san.”

Kurumi leaned over the desk, causing Tohka and Origami to reflexively pull closer to Shido. She placed one hand atop of his, sending his heart racing, and gently caressed the tip of his chin with a single, elegant finger, lifting his eyes up to meet hers. The mere touch caused shivers to run down his spine, as she offered him a slighter, more gentle smile. “I look forward to seeing you again soon.”

She smoothly stepped back before the Spirits to either side of Shido, both of whom looked ready to take drastic action to physically remove her, could lash out. “Good day to you as well, Tohka-san, Origami-san.”

With a slight bow of her head, Kurumi turned away and disappeared out the door.

Shido watched her retreating back, and sighed slightly in disappointment. Kurumi’s usual demeanour seemed to have returned. He had honestly hoped to see more of her true side, the one that she had shown him when they had been together. Not to mention, they had yet to speak properly about what they were now. Kurumi had acted as if nothing had happened at all, but he couldn’t help but dwell on their brief moments this morning; how she fixed up his uniform, and had a lunch prepared for him. Did she truly care, or was it all an act?

He desperately hoped it was the former.

“Shido, are you okay?” Tohka’s concern snapped him out of his thoughts.

“Uh yeah, it’s all good. Let’s go, Kotori wants to talk to us.” Shaking his head, as if it would force any lingering doubts and concerns about Kurumi away, Shido and the two sealed Spirits began walking out of the school and to the location where the _Fraxinus_ would be able to pick them up. 

* * *

The _Fraxinus_ did a fairly commendable job at hiding the fact that it was designed as a military airship, but on occasion, parts of its original purpose shone through. One of these was the presence of interrogation rooms. Distinct from the containment room which disguised itself as a homely living room, with the purpose of allowing the Spirits on-board a friendlier environment to remain in – a necessity when spikes in the Spirit’s mental instability and stress could quite possibly lead to a hole in the side of the ship – the interrogation rooms by their very nature were decidedly less comfortable. All cold metal, sharp corners and utilitarian to the bone, the room was furnished with the absolute bare minimum: a table, two chairs, and a one-way mirror. 

The already cramped and uncomfortable room for two became even smaller as all the Spirits present, plus Reine in her dutiful role as the _Fraxinus’_ head analyst, packed into room to watch Kotori and Shido have the world’s most intimidating staring contest.

Adopted brother and sister sat across from each other, the only sound coming from Kotori as she sucked on yet another lollipop. With black ribbons tying up her hair and a red jacket draped over her shoulders, Kotori was in her element as the _Fraxinus’_ harsh commander. Her sharp gaze scrutinised him carefully, not missing a single detail. The Spirits, in a rare case of tact, were quiet as well, picking up on the tense atmosphere – so tense in fact, one could cut it with a blunt knife.

Kotori’s sharp voice however, was sufficient.

“So Shido, would you care to tell me what happened last night? After Kurumi shot out of cameras and took you to God-knows-where, out of our sight and ability to help?” Dangerous undertones lined Kotori’s words. “Would you like to explain to everyone why you dropped out of contact, and why the first thing we knew about your safety was when one of Kurumi’s clones came to _our home_ , to tell us that you were okay and _‘not to worry’_?”

Feeling both slightly defensive and guilty, Shido took a deep breath. “Kotori, I’m sorry I didn’t contact you after, but I had to go with Kurumi. I wanted to learn more about her –”

Kotori suddenly slammed her fist against the table and stood up, knocking her chair back with a bang. The sudden action startled most of the other Spirits. “You _idiot_! What kind of stupid brother do I have? Did you forget that Kurumi is planning on eating you? And you still decided to go with her, by yourself, after she destroyed all the cameras and the earpiece? If she had wanted to _eat_ you, she could’ve done that easily and there would be nothing we could do!”

“Kurumi’s not like that!” Shido protested suddenly. “She promised she wouldn’t use force –”

“Are you a kid?” Kotori snapped. “She made a promise? So what, Kurumi promises you she won’t eat you and you decide that it’s enough to make it all fine to go with her?”

The tension in the tiny room had reached a boiling point. The Spirits nervously glanced back and forth as they watched brother and sister argue vehemently, looking increasingly worried as Kotori appeared ready to leap across the table and try to strangle her brother.

“Kotori.” Reine's ever-exhausted, soporific voice caused Kotori to pause as the head analyst gave her a placating look. Or at least, what Shido thought was a placating look given how she permanently looked like she was going to keel over any second. Regardless, it was enough to reach the _Fraxinus’_ commander.

Kotori sucked in a deep breath before pulling her chair back, slowly sitting back down. Shido took it as the signal to continue.

“Kotori,” Shido’s voice shook but he held firm. “Kurumi didn't force me to go with her. I chose to. I’m sorry I didn’t let you know, but isn’t that why we’re here? To save the Spirits right? We’ve always faced danger, every time. If I want to save Kurumi, I have to take that risk. She’s worth saving Kotori. She’s not the person we think she is.”

Kotori scowled. “And how do you know that? She’s a Spirit but she’s killed with her own hands.”

“Kurumi showed me…”

“What do you mean, Shin?” Reine seemed to be more attentive, her fingers pausing above her tablet.

“Her Angel, Zaphkiel? It has the power to recall memories. She used it to transfer her memories to me.”

“What did she show you?” Kotori had calmed down, but her face still sported a scowl.

Shido paused, wondering how much of it was appropriate to tell them. As much as he desperately wanted them to know and understand Kurumi and the path she had embarked on, there was no question that Kurumi had intended the memories for him and him alone. To tell them everything would be a betrayal of that trust she had placed in him.

And so he told them, albeit a heavily redacted version of what he had experienced. Of Kurumi’s past, her betrayal and her lofty determination to set things right, no matter the cost; her reputation, her body, her soul. Even as he spoke however, Shido couldn’t help but relive the memories again, and the emotions that were certainly not his flared up – regret, pain, loneliness and anger. If anything however, they only increased his determination to save Kurumi from herself. But it also sparked other, beating emotions in his heart: longing, tenderness, the desire to relieve someone of all the hurt and pain. Shido tried not to dwell on it too much even as he recalled Kurumi’s memories.

By the time he finished, everyone was silent. He couldn’t blame them – they all likely needed a moment to digest his words. But in the end, Kotori sighed, all the anger gone.

“There’s not much we can do about it now then anymore. Shido, you can go home. Same for the rest of you guys. Reine, could you stay back please? We need to talk about what to do next.”

Reine gave a slight nod and Kotori continued, raising a hand to stop Shido as he started to protest.

“Kurumi’s goal and you being alive are still mutually incompatible. Since we didn’t manage to seal her, she’s still a threat, and we need to come up with a plan to deal with her.”

What Kotori didn’t mention was that she currently had no idea how to proceed. But she didn’t let any of that show through, and the Spirits in the room nodded in agreement regardless of her own doubts. 

“Well that’s it then, unless any of you have any more questions?”

“Oh, oh! I have one! Shido, why did you come to school with Kurumi’s smell all over you?” Tohka asked quizzically.

“Well, the place she took me to only had one bed…” Shido offered, trying his best to deflect the question away and growing increasingly nervous about the line of questioning. Revealing to ten other girls, all of whom were very capable of reducing him to a splatter if they saw fit, that he had gotten to know Kurumi _very_ _intimately_ was not high on his to-do list.

Unfortunately, Origami’s perceptiveness, especially when it came to all matters Shido, was unrivalled.

“Shido, your heart is beating faster than it usually is. Your eyes are glancing around more frequently, and you have been bouncing your leg since Tohka asked you the question. Your sweat glands are also producing more sweat than usual. You are nervous about something.”

Shido laughed nervously, which didn’t help his cause at all. “Ah, it’s nothing Origami. Don’t worry about it.”

But now, everyone else was paying attention to him, and Kotori fixed him with another glower. 

“Shido, this isn’t some embarrassing secret like keeping a girl’s school uniform hidden away in your closet from mother and father. You’re trying to keep a secret about _Kurumi_. The Worst Spirit. You do not keep secrets about her from us, not when we’re trying to protect you from her, and not when she is trying to _eat_ you!” Kotori barked. “Now, spill it!”

Completely cornered and feeling immensely guilty, Shido wilted before her anger. “We, uh. We, well…”

Shido cleared his throat. “We had sex…” His voice faded as he finished his sentence.

Dead silence filled the room. Kotori had stopped sucking on her lollipop and even ever-sleepy Reine looked shocked.

Then it exploded into a flurry of sound and movement.

“EH?!” At least two Spirits had the same reaction.

“Ooh! Way to go, Shido-kun, bagging a beautiful babe!”

“I’ve made a mistake. Clearly Kurumi is a much greater threat than anticipated.” 

“Shock. Yuzuru was not expecting this.”

“Darling?!”

“H-heh, well done Boy? Wait, does this mean I need call you Man now?”

“Mun? Nushi-sama, what hath thou dabbled in?”

Shido felt himself shrinking into his seat as the Spirits started rushing over.

Amongst all the Spirits however, Tohka was the one who looked confused, as she glanced around, wrinkling her brow. “Muuu…hey Shido, what’s happening? Why’s everyone so upset?”

That caught Kaguya’s attention, and torn between questioning Shido about the type of man he was and desperately needing a distraction, she chose the latter. She turned her hotly flushing face to face Tohka.

“A-a, ah! My kinswoman! Your face, it radiates the bamboozlement of the common fellow! Allow me to show you enlightenment!” Kaguya rushed over, which in turn drew Yuzuru’s gaze. As usual, the more stoic of the twins had a comment within moments. 

“Disbelief. Kaguya, the probability of you explaining this to Tohka successfully is the same as the probability of you growing womanly charms.”

“H-hey! Don’t look down on me! Maybe you’re just jealous!” Kaguya retorted, her face flushed with embarrassment and righteous anger.

Yuzuru’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Unconvinced. Yuzuru has nothing to be jealous of.”

“Wanna bet? My master is clearly superior to yours!” Kaguya puffed out her chest proudly. “Not only do the shadows follow in her footsteps, but her knowledge of seduction and feminine charms is unparalleled! With my master’s guidance, this body will charm all who gaze upon it! Be prepared to lose, Yuzuru!”

Kaguya then raised her arms above her head, stretching as if emulating a model’s pose.

While the Yamai twins continued their usual bickering, the other Spirits crowded around Shido, badgering him with questions.

“Everyone! Please, could you just listen to me…” As Shido tried to raise his voice over the others, he noticed that Origami, oddly enough, was not taking advantage of the situation to do something perverted and intrusive on his person, as she was prone to do in such confusing situations. He looked around and spotted a head of immaculately trimmed white hair walk out. “Hey! Origami!”

But Origami ignored him, and walked purposefully out of the room. 

* * *

The moment Kurumi left the school grounds, she turned into the first alleyway she found. Dark and deserted, it was perfect for her purposes. A tap of her foot against the ground later, and her shadow had expanded, one of her many clones climbing up.

“Are _we_ ready?” Kurumi asked. 

“Of course, _me_. As you requested, as many of us as possible are waiting for you now,” her clone replied.

“Good.” Kurumi tapped twice more against the ground, and suddenly she was engulfed by the shadow which formed her characteristic Astral Dress around her. A moment later, she sunk into the shadow.

When she re-emerged from her own personal dimension into the lobby of one of the city’s many abandoned commercial buildings, she was greeted by a sight that nearly everyone else would’ve found to be odd: a large group of girls, all with the same appearance and identical faces, were gathering together. There were a few variations in the girls’ clothing, but they were few and far between, and for all intents and purposes, they were exact clones of each other. The Kurumi clones formed smaller groups as they shared information and chattered away with each other in the same voice.

One of the difficulties Kurumi had found with forming such a large information network was how to properly coordinate them. As much as they were _her_ , her clones weren’t psychically linked to her, and without seeing her, passing instructions were difficult. Kurumi relied on a relay system, where a few dedicated clones would always be available for her to pass back and forth additional information and instructions as needed – or in this case, gather them all together for next steps.

The moment Kurumi stepped out in the group, the conversations all died down to a few hushed murmurs instantly. All eyes were on her as she made her way to the stairs, and sunk down on the landing once she could see most of the group.

“Anything to report?” she asked her doppelgangers.

As usual, her clones with something to mention raised any issue. The majority of it was mildly useful information about things happening in the city, but Kurumi was particularly concerned about anything to do with DEM. The clones she had tasked with monitoring DEM had yet to return though. For now, she settled with the knowledge that her clones had been countering the Nibelcol search parties quite well, even if that meant she had to replenish her numbers again.

“Very well then, please continue with your efforts and stay extra vigilant for any action by DEM, especially against Shido-san. If there is nothing else, you may leave.”

“Ah! A question, _me_ ,” one of her clones called out.

“Yes?”

“Is it true that _me_ finally made love to Shido-san last night?”

A loud buzz erupted among the clones as the new information raced through them like a wildfire.

Kurumi choked, cheeks flushing a bright red. A strangled sound made its way out of her throat as she tried to recover. “Ah – please refrain from calling it that! I did not ‘make love’ to Shido-san last night!” 

If anything, the murmurs became even more energetic. Mortified and her train of thought completely derailed, Kurumi tried to counter their misconception.

“It was just sex! There was absolutely nothing else to it!” she insisted. “The whole purpose of it all was just to make Shido-san feel enflamed and consumed by his lust for me! To win his heart!” 

Perhaps she had overdone it, as her clones looked both unconvinced and amused by her words.

“Ara, is _me_ trying to convince us, or _me_?”

“But _me_ …if it really was just sex, then why did _me_ enjoy it so much?” One of her clones asked.

“Yes yes, from what I saw, _me_ was very into it,” another unhelpfully added.

“Enough!” Kurumi shouted. “Please do not mistake my actions! They were done solely for the sake of achieving my goal of having Shido-san fall for me!”

Her outburst caused the clones to quieten down for a moment. Relieved, Kurumi thought the matter had been resolved. Alas, even amongst her clones, the urge to gossip was proving too strong.

“So _me_ …” one of her clones started slyly. “Was Shido-san a good lover?”

“Ahhhh for his first time, he certainly looked very capable!”

Giggles and chatter broke out among the clones again, and Kurumi’s cheeks burned in embarrassment. It was one thing to be aware of the possibility that her clones might have been watching her and Shido as they coupled. It was another thing entirely to _know_ that they had been.

Over the voices of the other clones however, one question clearly cut through.

“ _Me_ …are you sure about this path? Would _me_ really be happy with the decision to _eat_ Shido-san after this?”

The simple question caused all the others to stop, as if they sensed the significance behind the question – and more importantly, her answer.

“ _We_ are curious too…exposing our softer side to Shido-san, preparing lunch for him, helping him prepare for school…are these actions truly necessary for our goal?” 

“Yes, even _we_ , as temporary as we are, could feel happiness from the chance to provide for Shido-san...”

This was a dangerous path that her clones were starting to walk down, Kurumi realised, and she had to put a stop to it.

“I will say it again: do not question my determination to see this through,” Kurumi firmly stated through gritted teeth. “I _will_ capture Shido-san’s heart, I _will_ take his power, and I _will_ use it to achieve our absolute goal.”

The clones paused, but only for a moment. “That is true. Our goal has not changed. But _me_ hasn’t answered the real question: will _me_ be happy with this choice?”

“Even we could see that _me's_ happiness was higher after sharing that with Shido-san – "

“My happiness?” Kurumi asked, incredulous. Anger flared up from within her. “ _My happiness_ does not factor into this at all – this is all about our, no, my goal! What does _my happiness_ matter, as long as we can fix our mistakes, and ensure that Sawa-san is brought back?” 

Surprised at her sudden outburst, her clones fell silent. Kurumi used the chance to take a few deep breaths to calm herself, trying to regain her centre. 

“My happiness with Shido-san does not matter. My feelings for Shido-san do not matter.” They were supposed to be strong words, but instead they came out empty and hollow. “If it becomes a choice between Shido-san and our goal, then I will choose our goal. For as long as we achieve what we promised to do, to rid this world of _that_ Spirit, and return everything to zero, then surely, my happiness…will also be achieved.”

Even as her clones exchanged glances with each other, Kurumi stared at the floor, trying her utmost to ignore the doubt in her own voice – and the ache in her beating heart.

* * *

“Master, master! Look at this!”

Isaac Westcott stopped in the middle of his discussion with the two women as a gaggle of over-energetic girls with identical faces poured into his office.

He frowned, and was about to say something when he noticed what the lead Nibelcol was carrying.

A head, with long, black hair tied into asymmetrical tails and a pair of lifeless eyes, one red, the other a golden clock.

Nightmare.

“Girls, what do we have here?” Westcott smiled as Ellen and Artemisia twisted to look at the pseudo-Spirits. 

“We found _them_ sneaking around!” one of the Nibelcol giggled.

“We got into a fight!” chimed another.

“We killed one, but the rest managed to get away,” a third mentioned as the Nibelcol holding one of Nightmare’s clone’s head placed it down on Westcott’s desk. 

“Ah…” Westcott smiled, having put the pieces together, before summoning an ominous black book, decorated with spiteful and devilish ornaments.

The All-Knowing Demon King, _Beelzebub_.

Its mere appearance caused the hairs on the back of Ellen and Artemisia’s neck to stand on edge, a faint feeling of discomfort echoing throughout all who gazed upon such a terrible existence. Westcott merely chuckled in amusement as the Demon King told him everything it could know.

The two Wizards shared a look before turning back to Westcott.

“Are you going to tell us?” Ellen asked.

“Oh, something interesting,” Westcott said as the book disappeared, the discomforting air dissipating with it. “It appears that our dear boy, Shido Itsuka, has finally had a long overdue tryst with one of the Spirits.”

Ellen’s lip curled in disgust.

“And the Spirit in question?” Westcott leaned back on his chair. “Nightmare. It makes perfect sense now, why we failed to kill him all those times before.”

“She’s protecting him?” Artemisia guessed.

“Most likely.” Westcott grinned, steepling his hands together in thought. 

A pregnant pause filled the office, the only sound being the furious whispers of the Nibelcol as they chattered amongst themselves. It _was_ very strange, that Nightmare, a Spirit who considered most humans her food, would take it upon herself to become Shido’s protector – his guardian angel, as it were.

“…I do believe, ladies, that we have an opportunity,” Westcott declared to Ellen and Artemisia. He stopped them before they could say anything. “But that is a later discussion. For now, let us retire, and I will tell you everything we need to do tomorrow.”

With nods, humanity’s two most powerful Wizards left.

Nightmare really did have such beautiful features, Westcott mused as he took in the lifeless head sitting on his desk. It was hardly surprising that the boy had fallen for her. Idly, he stroked his hand through her hair. Really, the only question now was why Nightmare had taken it upon herself to protect the boy. Beelzebub could tell him everything that had happened in this world, but even it could not peer into someone’s heart. Some things, it would appear, were destined to remain forever a mystery in life.

But he didn’t need an omniscient Demon King to know that something had changed with the Worst Spirit. Something very unexpected indeed.

“Nibelcol, be a dear and take this away would you please?” he called out.

With cries of ‘yes, master!’, the group of Nibelcol jostled and shoved each other as they rushed to be the one to fulfil their master's request. They left as loudly as they came, carrying the grisly remains with them.

A silence soon descended on the luxurious office, leaving Westcott alone with his thoughts.

He stood up from his desk and looked through the expansive window at the peaceful world below.

Somewhere out there, was the elusive Spirit of shadow and time, and her lover. Someone she had opened up to. Opportunity had fallen into his lap, and he was not about to waste it.

“For such an inhuman existence, you certainly have a very human heart,” Westcott laughed.

“Allow me show you, Nightmare, just how hard the human heart can break.”

* * *

It was a sleepless night for Shido.

Despite being in his own room now, staring up at a familiar ceiling, he felt anything but peaceful. Part of that was from an exhausting time trying to placate the other Spirits. They had finally had stopped after Kotori had threatened to revoke all privileges from the offenders unless they went home and let Shido get some rest. Another part was loneliness. Sleeping with Kurumi, holding her to him had been oddly comforting. Part of him still wished that the Spirit was there to hold closely as he slept.

The other part was that it felt like someone was watching him.

He had peered through the window several times with bated breath, half-hoping that a Spirit with mismatched red and gold eyes would be there, waiting for him. But every time he did so, he saw nothing.

 _I must be going crazy_ , he thought. Pining over a sadistic Spirit who he wasn’t even sure was his enemy or not? Definitely crazy.

He sighed again. Kurumi wasn’t his enemy. But she could hardly be called a friend either. A lover then? He recalled how _tender_ she had been after their coupling. More than anything, he wanted to experience that sort of closeness with Kurumi again. Did that mean he loved her too? It was dangerous to admit that the thought of being with Kurumi pulled at his heartstrings, given their game which they still hadn’t settled…and how could he fall for someone who had the goal of taking his life should his heart be captured by them?

 _Argh, stop it!_ Shido kicked off his blankets in frustration and rubbed his face. What was Kurumi doing to him?

A warm drink would probably help him calm down. That decided, Shido quietly padded down the stairs. The rest of the house was silent, Kotori long asleep, and he found himself in the kitchen, wondering what to make.

A sudden light knock on the door snapped him from his thoughts. He frowned slightly as he walked over, wondering who in their right mind who would come at this hour. It was probably one of the Spirits.

Shido was right, but the Spirit behind the door was not who he expected.

“Ku-Kurumi?” Shido spluttered.

Kurumi was indeed standing at his door, a shy smile on her face. She was wearing her characteristic red and black Astral Dress, and her left eye was still a golden inorganic clock-face, which confirmed that the Worst Spirit and not some girl who looked like her was in front of his home. Her sudden appearance, and the way she had chosen to show up threw him off-balance. He was used to Kurumi suddenly appearing out of the shadows with a knowing smile on her face, usually when things had gone to hell, or waking up on her lap, with her watching over him as he slept.

Seeing her standing at his door was just so…ordinary.

“May I come in, Shido-san?” Kurumi asked sweetly.

“Uh, sure, of course.” Shido stood to the side and raised his arm in invitation.

Closing the door behind her as she walked in, Shido couldn’t help but watch in fascination as Kurumi knelt down, hiked her dress over her knees and began to unlace her boots. A tiny hint of excitement welled up in him, fed by the memories of Kurumi undressing the night they had sex. He watched, mesmerised, as Kurumi pulled her boots off, exposing long legs clad in black stockings. 

“Shido-san?” Kurumi waved a hand in his face.

“Huh?” Shido blurted, suddenly snapped out of his reverie. Kurumi stood happily in front of him.

“I’m sorry, I must’ve not been paying attention. Do you want something to drink?” Remembering his manners and that Kurumi was a guest, he started for the kitchen.

“That would be wonderful; I would love to take anything from Shido-san,” Kurumi said, following him.

Try as he might, he couldn’t prevent the image of the amazingly seductive way Kurumi had swallowed his orgasm after giving him his first blowjob when she said that.

As he prepared some tea, he watched Kurumi from the corner of his eye as she wandered about the kitchen curiously. Every now and then, she would turn back and catch his eye, and a flirtatious grin would break out across her face, to which he would embarrassedly turn away with a blush on his face.

Thankful that he had the tea to focus on, he diligently set his mind to the task until it was ready. He set down the pot and cups on the table. “Hey Kurumi, the tea is ready.”

“Ah! Thank you Shido-san,” Kurumi smiled and accepted the tea. Nothing strong, given how late it was, but Kurumi certainly appeared to find the warmth welcome.

Shido watched, unsure of where to start. Five minutes ago he had been half-hoping that Kurumi would show up. Now that she was actually here, he had no idea what to do. 

“So, uh, Kurumi?” He winced at how lame it sounded.

“Yes, Shido-san?”

“Why did you come here this late?”

Kurumi blushed slightly, and put her cup down. “Honestly? I came here to visit you, Shido-san. I’m sorry if I have interrupted you or anything…”

“No no!” Shido said hastily, waving a hand. “You’re not interrupting or anything!”

“I’m glad.” Kurumi thought for a moment, before she suddenly reached up and clasped his hands. He blushed at the sudden contact, but didn’t pull away. “Shido-san, I hope I am not being too forward, but can we go to your room? Please?” 

Something was definitely off with Kurumi, Shido thought. He hadn’t expected Kurumi to be this reserved, or shy. But remaining in the open living room with her was an invitation for disaster if Kotori or any of the other Spirits were to walk in randomly.

“I guess we can– I mean sure!” Shido hastily corrected himself as Kurumi’s face seem to fall before picking up.

“Really? I’m so happy to hear that!” Kurumi stood up quickly, never letting go of Shido’s hand. “Then can we go? Right now?”

“H-hey, wait a second,” Shido protested, “Let me put these away and we can go.”

Kurumi waited almost impatiently as he put the cups away, before following him back to his room.

“Please come inside Kurumi.” Shido opened the door, thankful that he kept his room neat. “Take a seat wherever you like.”

Kurumi’s attention however was drawn to his desk. The Spirit strode over, not saying anything as she looked at the picture that Shido had on his shelf. It was the photo of fake wedding that Shido had with Kurumi’s clone.

“…you kept it,” Kurumi said, almost in awe as Shido came up behind her. She picked up the photo and held it closer, tracing a finger across the surface.

“Huh?” Shido wrinkled his brow in confusion. She knew about the photo? But then that would mean…

Shido yelped as Kurumi suddenly spun around and threw herself into him. With a cry, they toppled onto the floor in a tangle of limbs.

“Owww,” Shido winced. “Kurumi, are you okay?”

He had just looked up to check on Kurumi, when she lunged forward and captured his lips between hers.

Shido froze.

Ever since meeting the Spirits, a kiss had taken on an entirely different meaning for him. No longer just a sign of affection, a kiss signified that the Spirit in question had placed their trust in him in; a source of comfort and security in an unwelcoming world.

Kurumi had never kissed him, until now.

Even if he had dreamed about it, he never could have imagined it how pleasant it was. Kurumi’s lips were so soft and smooth, and he found himself pressing back up against her, kissing her deeply until his lungs helpfully reminded him that oxygen was a necessity for living.

They separated, Kurumi breathing heavily as a strand of saliva connected their mouths momentarily. Even as he gathered his breath and thoughts, Shido realised something was different. Unlike the other times he had sealed the Spirit’s power, although his chest felt a bit warm – which he attributed to Kurumi being suddenly pressed up against him – he thought he couldn’t feel anything flowing into his chest. It meant that he hadn’t sealed Kurumi’s power.

And then the pieces fell into place.

Kurumi’s unexpected behaviour. Her knowledge of their photo. The lack of _reiryoku_ flowing into him.

This Kurumi was a clone. And he had a suspicion he knew which one.

“Kurumi?” Shido asked.

Kurumi’s clone smiled, slightly sadly, back at him. “I’m sorry Shido-san. I could not resist…I’ve been waiting forever and ever to see you again.”

“That means…you’re the same Kurumi from that time?” Shido dared to hope.

The clone – Kurumi, nodded.

“What did you wish for?” Shido fished, trying to make absolutely sure.

“On Tanabata? That I wish to see Shido again one day,” Kurumi recited, “…and it appears as if my wish was granted. I’m so happy that you still remember me, Shido-san.”

Shido smiled back. “Don’t you remember? I made you a promise. Even if the rain falls day after day, I won’t forget you. And I haven’t.”

Kurumi’s response was to lean in and capture his lips between her own again.

The photo clattered to the ground as Kurumi ran her hands up his sides and across his back even as they kissed.

Her tongue pressed against his lips, urgently seeking entry and when he opened his lips, he tried to match her, tongues dancing and slipping as Kurumi moaned into his mouth. He sucked on her tongue, drawing her in deeper, his hands on her back, pulling her closer and not letting her go.

It was sloppy and wet and inexperienced. It was also the best kiss that Shido had ever received, and he was quite sure that Kurumi felt the same way, given how deeply she was panting as she pulled back slightly to look him in the eyes.

“Shido-san, I know this is quite selfish of me, but please…since you have made love to the real _me_ …make love to me as well, Shido-san, please,” Kurumi all but begged. “It would mean the world to me, Shido-san.” 

Shido hesitated for a moment.

He looked into Kurumi’s eyes, and found a look that would normally appear out of place for the confident, seductive and sensual Spirit – need, uncertainty and shyness filled her eyes as she looked expectantly at him. Kurumi was waiting for him to make the first move. She clearly desired him, and he remembered how much she valued his company when she was reborn a second time. He hadn’t known then, that their time together was all that she had, and he had always regretted his wariness towards her, even if she had still enjoyed her limited time with him. This time, he was determined to make her happy by his own hand.

Leaning in, Shido kissed her.

He felt himself growing excited, as Kurumi returned his kiss, eagerly pushing her tongue against his and moaning as they touched. A shudder ran through him as a familiar scent, undeniably female, undeniably _Kurumi_ , filled his senses, and the phantom memories of a warm body pressed against his returned. Passion, excitement, arousal filled him with a pleasant buzz as the kiss deepened. Their tongues swirled and danced around each other, as she leaned more and more into him, desperately seeking that warm touch, that fiery passion that she had been craving since being reborn again.

Panting, Kurumi pulled back and stared at him with eyes filled with love and lust. No words needed to be said, as he was sure that his gaze matched hers. She released her Astral Dress, itself a pale imitation of the original, and it dissolved into flecks of shadows, baring her naked body for him. Shido drank in the sight; she was exactly like Kurumi, and just like her – she was perfect.

She mewled in pleasure as Shido took the initiative, bringing his lips to the sensitive, smooth skin of her breast. He cupped her breasts in his hands, loving the feel of their comfortable weight and suppleness, and her smoothness contrasting against the rougher skin of his hands.

“Shido-san…more…” Kurumi groaned.

If he had learned anything from his first experience with Kurumi, it was that she enjoyed it when he was rougher with her. Shido firmly squeezed her breasts between his fingers, and firmly toyed with one of her hard nipples. Simultaneously, he sucked the other into his mouth, lavishing his tongue and dragging his teeth gently across her stiff buds.

“Oh! Shido-san!” Kurumi let out a throaty moan, throwing her head back in pleasure. She reached down and felt Shido’s cock through his underwear, delighted to find that he was already rock-hard. The knowledge that he found her sexually attractive caused her arousal to increase further, and she started to insistently paw at his length, running her palm and fingers across him.

It was only then that Shido realised that they were still sitting on the floor. As tempting as it was to ravish her _right now_ , and he had very little doubt that Kurumi would have any objections, it wasn’t the kind of experience that he wanted to give her.

“H-hey, Kurumi, let’s move somewhere more comfortable.” Shido, out of breath, motioned over to the bed, standing and gently pulling Kurumi up with him.

They had just reached the bed when Kurumi suddenly pushed him onto it. He landed on the mattress in a sitting position with a soft grunt and yelped as Kurumi had dropped to her knees between his legs and yanked his pants down.

“Kurumi, wait –”

“Shido-san,” Kurumi interrupted him, hooking her fingers into the waistband of his underwear. “I want to do this. Please, allow me show you how much you mean to me.”

He became silent, and Kurumi took it as the signal to go ahead, pulling down his underwear and allowing his erection to spring free. She wrapped her hand around him, eliciting a pleasurable gasp from his lips.

“You’re so warm…” Kurumi murmured. She looked up at him shyly, an expression he found amazingly alluring on the normally bold and seductive Spirit.

“Shido-san, truth be told, I do not have the same experience that the real _me_ does,” she said, holding onto his length firmly. “Please let me know if anything is unpleasant for you, Shido-san.”

Shido groaned as Kurumi lovingly feathered a series of light kisses on the head of his penis, and her hand slowly began to stroke him up and down. 

Kurumi smiled as she heard him vocalise his pleasure. “Shido-san, are you enjoying this?”

“Keep going Kurumi, please,” Shido urged her on.

Kurumi, taking his encouragement to heart, licked the tip of his penis, gathering the fluid leaking out into her mouth and tasting it experimentally. Finding it agreeable, Kurumi placed his tip to her closed lips, and agonisingly slowly, pushed her lips down, using the head of his cock to break the seal. As she sucked him into her mouth, her tongue ran its way down the sensitive underside of the tip, stimulating him further and drawing out a long, pleasurable groan from Shido’s lips.

Her eyes never left his all the while and he felt his heart pound faster as he met her gaze; shining with love, adoration and joy, as if this had been everything she wanted and was now experiencing.

As much as he tried not to, Shido couldn’t help but see the differences between this Kurumi and the real Kurumi and how they used their mouth to pleasure him. The real Kurumi had been more dominant in her actions, forcefully taking his length into her mouth and bobbing up and down as she skilfully used her mouth and hand in concert to drive him insane with sheer pleasure. This Kurumi however, was much more demure and uncertain. She had just taken the head of his penis into her mouth, and seemed more content with using her tongue to lavish attention on his sensitive head. Whereas his encounter with Kurumi had been tinged with the excitement of doing something so deliciously sinful, an experience that was supposed to be so wrong yet felt so _right_ , the Kurumi he was with now filled him with the warm pleasure of being with someone so familiar and loving. He didn’t question the feeling rising from within him. He embraced it, sought more of it. He wanted more with Kurumi.

Well aware of the pleasure in his loins building and rapidly pushing him towards his climax, he gently took Kurumi’s head and lifted her off his penis. The tip of his cock left her mouth with a wet pop, and she looked at him in confusion.

“Shido-san?” Kurumi was breathing harder.

“Come here.” Shido laid back on the bed, giving Kurumi’s wrist a gentle tug as she stood up. “I want you to enjoy yourself.”

Surprised by his own assertiveness – something helped by the fact that this Kurumi seemed so uncertain and unsure – Shido watched in rapt anticipation as Kurumi ceded to his lead, and swung a leg over his form before settling down, straddling him. They both groaned as Kurumi’s vagina, already wet and puffy from her arousal, settled on his length, her lips spreading around his girth.

Shido had seen how much Kurumi had enjoyed it as she ground herself along his length. If anything, the foreplay, the breathless anticipation and snatches of pleasure as they ground themselves against each other only added to the pleasure. He sat up and kissed her, enjoying the novelty and feeling of Kurumi’s lips, her body leaning into his and the heat of her sex pressed against his cock. She reciprocated, moaning lowly as his tongue probed her mouth. When the need for air separated them, he ran his hands down her arms, across the curve of her breasts and down until they settled on her hips. He leaned back and looked into her eyes, silently asking for permission. Kurumi nodded, understanding.

Hands on her hips, he slowly began to pull her forward, her puffy lower lips dragging along his length. His breath hitched as she rubbed across the sensitive head of his penis and he stopped, savouring her heat and wetness. He already missed this, and the feeling of her vagina on his cock was heavenly. All the while, Kurumi closed her eyes and bit her lip, trembles shaking her body as she allowed Shido to guide the movements of her hips. Kurumi’s arousal mixed with the precum leaking from his tip, creating a slick noise as his cock pushed through her wet folds that only added to the pleasure and sensuality of their bodies moving together.

The sheer sensation that he was feeling, of Kurumi’s vagina pressed against his cock, the heat and the wetness of her sex, all of it was driving Shido out of his mind. He stopped trying to move her and instead, gripped her hips tightly and began to thrust. He did his best to emulate what he had done before, when Kurumi had dragged pleads from his lips, right before she took his virginity. It seemed to work. Every time he thrust, the tip of his cock would press up and rub slickly against her clit, and a strangled gasp escaped Kurumi’s lips.

“Sh-Shido-san,” Kurumi stammered through panted breaths, “Th-that feels, so – mmph! – good…”

It was only intended to be foreplay, to give Kurumi pleasure and tease her before they coupled. But Kurumi was already soaking wet and highly aroused, and she soon was rocking and rolling her hips by herself, timing her movements against his thrusts to gain the greatest friction and pleasure from his length driving its way along her lower lips. Shido himself could only moan her name, and soon his entire length was coated with a mix of Kurumi’s arousal and his own.

And then it happened. Kurumi rolled her hips as he thrust, and his cock jolted across her clit. The sheer sudden pleasure threw Kurumi into her orgasm, and she went rigid, throwing her head back. A soundless scream came from her throat as she desperately tried her best not to wake everyone in the house, her every nerve exploding in pleasure. Her hands found Shido’s and he winced as she _squeezed_ , as if needing something to anchor her to the real world while she rode out her orgasm, enduring the pleasure as it washed all over her.

And then it was over, and Kurumi collapsed, breathing heavily.

“Shido-san,” Kurumi gave him an exhausted smile. “You really are amazing.”

Shido returned her smile, trying to ignore the tension in his loins begging for release. “I’m glad you enjoyed it, Kurumi.”

“But you haven’t come yet,” Kurumi suddenly reached down and took hold of his length, stroking him gently. Shido groaned in response.

She smoothly rolled off him and onto her back, spreading her legs and exposing her sex to him. She ran a finger, wet with a combination of her own essence and Shido’s, down her engorged and sensitive lower lips, shuddering in pleasure. “So let me help you, Shido-san.”

Kurumi seemed to have picked up on some of her real self’s characteristic boldness as her confidence grew. The invitation also couldn’t be clearer. And it wasn’t one that Shido intended to refuse.

It was a different feeling, he realised as he knelt between her legs. Kurumi wrapped an arm around him to pull him down on top of her. Her free hand took hold of him, positioning him at her wet slit.

“Kurumi?” Shido asked, as if to confirm if it was what she really wanted.

“Please Shido-san…go ahead. Take me,” Kurumi gently smiled up at him.

He pushed forward, and groaned as he felt Kurumi’s hot, wet flesh enveloped his sensitive penis. She was tight, her walls gripping him strongly even as he continued, hilting himself to the base inside her. Kurumi gasped and writhed as she felt every bit of his hard length push deeper into her, and a single thought raced through her mind, causing her heart to beat faster.

Shido’s cock was in her pussy. He was inside of her. It wasn’t just the nearly-overwhelming sensation of being filled up so satisfactorily, her walls pleasantly stretching around his girth. It wasn’t his groans as he felt her flesh clamp down on him, making her heart sing with joy that he was finding so much pleasure with her. It was Shido himself, her beloved Shido, who was making love to her.

“Sh-Shido,” Kurumi looked at him, savouring the expression on his face and noises from his lips. “K-keep going…”

He began to thrust into her, gently. He had to go slowly. The tension building up in his balls was becoming even greater, almost painfully so, and if he dropped his focus from Kurumi and her pleasure even for an instant, his instincts would take over, and demand he thrust into the hot, welcoming flesh beneath him until he came. But that wasn’t what he wanted. And so, he slowly pulled back, centimetre after agonising centimetre, hearing Kurumi’s desperate whimpers as she felt him leave her, only for her to gasp and moan as she felt him drive forward and thrust his length back into her. 

“Kurumi,” Shido murmured, feeling something in his heart ache for her as he looked into her eyes. No other words needed to be said.

He kissed her deeply. She moaned into his mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck as he continued to thrust into her with greater speed. He wasn’t going to last much longer. Already stimulated near-orgasm by Kurumi’s blowjob and foreplay from earlier, and being inside Kurumi now, with her nearly-unbearable heat and wetness, it was an inevitability that he would reach his climax in moments. Fortunately, Kurumi was also close. Having already orgasmed before, her insides were already tingling and sensitive, worked nearly to the point of overstimulation and sending her to the teetering edge of her orgasm.

“Shido don’t stop!” Kurumi squeezed her eyes shut in response to near-overwhelming pleasure.

“K-Kurumi,” his breaths coming out in ragged bursts, “I’m…so, close…”

It came, quite suddenly. Shido momentarily lost control, and thrust hard into her waiting sex. He leaned into the movement, crushing Kurumi’s breasts against his chest and capturing her lips with his own, his tongue finding purchase with hers. The sudden overwhelming sensation sent Kurumi spiralling into her orgasm as her eyes widened, and she squealed and moaned into his mouth as she convulsed in pleasure beneath him. Her walls suddenly clenching and clamping down on his cock also sent Shido’s orgasm crashing into him at last. Pleasure filled every sense as he felt an enormous relief as his testes finally released their load, spurt after spurt of his seed, as deeply as possible in Kurumi, whose mouth was open in a perfect ‘O’ as she felt his seed fill her until their orgasms finally passed.

They lay like that for a while, panting and trying to recover. Careful not to crush Kurumi, Shido rolled onto his side, and pulled Kurumi close, and tried to understand just what happened.

He had sex with Kurumi – arguably again. And it was every bit as amazing as the first time.

A warm sensation filled his chest and heart, as he basked in the afterglow of their mutual orgasms. 

The moment disappeared suddenly, not through the shattering glass of the window, but a warm, wet touch on Shido’s chest.

Alarmed, Shido lifted his head but could only see Kurumi’s hair. Yet the feeling of something dripping on his chest continued. Even if he couldn’t see, he knew what it was, a notion only reinforced when he heard Kurumi sniffle.

Kurumi was crying.

Not openly, as she was clearly attempting to stifle anything remotely resembling the sort, but there was no mistaking it.

Panic swelled up in Shido, the euphoria disappearing in an instant as he gently took hold of Kurumi’s shoulders.

“Hey, Kurumi…are you okay?”

Any confidence he had built up during their lovemaking gone, Shido gingerly held Kurumi in his arms, trying his best to comfort her. He caressed the smooth skin of her arm, spoke what he thought were soothing words to her, one hand coming up to stroke her head in a calming manner.

Kurumi’s quiet sobs eventually died down as she looked at him, her eyes wet.

“I’m sorry you had to see that, Shido-san.” Kurumi wiped the remaining tears from her eyes. “I wanted to make tonight special for you.” She had a self-deprecating smile on her face, before she ducked into his chest again.

“Kurumi…” Shido continued to stare at her, concerned. This was so unlike the Kurumi he knew. He risked pulling her closer to him, hugging her slender form to his chest. Kurumi didn’t resist, and more than anything else, seemed to melt into him. “Do you want to talk?”

“…that’s Shido-san for you,” Kurumi said after a moment of silence. “You’ve always been so kind and gentle, even to someone like me.”

Shido stayed quiet, as Kurumi seemed to struggle with something. A quiet tension filled the air, as if something important was about to happen.

“Shido-san,” Kurumi spoke up suddenly. “When _me_ gave you our memories, there was something which _me_ didn’t tell you.”

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, as if testing her next words. Finally, she settled on the simplest, most direct path.

“In the strictest sense Shido-san, you should not be alive right now.”

Shido stared at her dumbly. “Kurumi? What – what are you talking about? I’m dead? But how? I’m still alive…”

Kurumi hushed him. “Please let me finish, Shido-san. Do you remember, one week ago, when _me_ challenged you on the school roof?”

He nodded.

“At that time, DEM struck first. With a surprise attack, bringing the overwhelming power of their finest wizards to bear, DEM was able to succeed in killing Shido-san, and achieve their goal: the inversion of the Sprits.”

Kurumi continued, almost reciting a story. “ _Me_ couldn’t allow this to remain. You are aware that Zaphkiel, allows _me_ to manipulate time in almost any way, yes? One of the ways is for _me_ to restore her memories to a previous existence. And that is what _me_ did. We reset the time of this world, before DEM attacked, and tried to prevent them from succeeding. But _me_ , even with all of us, is just one Spirit against the might of DEM. It was a frustrating and trying time. Two hundred and four times, DEM has killed you. Two hundred and four times, _me_ has reset this world. Two hundred and four times, _me_ has asked us to make the ultimate sacrifice. And two hundred and four times, _we_ did so without hesitation.”

“The price that _me_ pays for this power is immense. Not only in time, but to relive the same experience, over and over, to watch Shido-san die before our very eyes time and time again. Me’s heart became fatigued. Me’s mind had reached its limit. We were…uncertain, as to how to bring about our victory. Yet we managed. So when _she_ made love to you Shido-san? It made it real. It was what _me_ needed. It confirmed that _we_ had succeeded, against the odds, of bringing Shido-san back to life. So thank you Shido-san. For accepting _me_.” 

Kurumi snuggled closer to him.

“While _me_ did not want you to hear this, I have never been very good at following orders. I wanted to tell you Shido-san, of the scale of me’s sacrifice. It was the main reason I came here tonight. But more selfishly…I personally wanted to come and see you Shido-san. To see you, to hear you, to touch you; it makes me so happy to see that you are truly alive.”

Kurumi smiled at him through wet eyes. “In this current time, Shido-san is still alive, and _me_ has not asked us for our lives yet. But Shido-san, I know very well, that if _me_ asked, that if it was for Shido-san’s sake, then I will gladly sacrifice everything for you without hesitation. Even my life. Just as the previous _me’s_ have, so will I, if or when the time comes.”

Shido stared, trying to comprehend everything that Kurumi had just told him. Not only that he was supposed to be dead, but it was Kurumi who had saved him. It was a level of dedication that astounded even him. And hearing that declaration from her clone, that one who would give herself up for him? His heart trembled.

It was simply too much to take in right now. So he did the only thing that he could think of.

He pulled Kurumi in closer and kissed her. He tried to convey every single confusing feeling that was swirling in him through touch alone – he doubted he could even express a fraction of how he felt in words.

And so he held onto her, taking comfort in her presence – it made so much sense now, why he felt so comfortable around Kurumi – and did not let go until they both fell asleep.

* * *

Kurumi yawned as she woke, arching her back and stretching sore muscles. She smiled in satisfaction at the thought of _how_ her muscles had become sore. Shido was still hugging her as he slept, his warmth seeping into her naked body. A blush filled her cheeks as she remembered how he had held her, gently thrusting inside her, drawing out a series of pleasurable moans from her lips until he had come and filled her with his seed.

It was almost a dream come true. Being with Shido had been everything she had imagined and more. Kurumi sighed happily as she idly rubbed her womb, before holding Shido closer, basking in his warmth and stroking his hair. She never wanted this moment to end.

The world unfortunately, was a cruel place, and the dream was shattered the next moment.

“Hello, _me_. Did you sleep well?”

She froze. The warmth disappeared instantly and her blood turned to ice in her veins. The words were spoken in _her_ voice, innocent in nature, but with all the menacing intent of a predator closing in on its prey. She slowly turned around, doing her best not to disturb Shido, to face the speaker.

Kurumi Tokisaki – the real Kurumi Tokisaki – had settled herself comfortably in Shido’s chair, legs crossed, examining the wedding photo held in her hands. In spite of the extremely dangerous situation she was now in, Kurumi couldn’t help but notice the most inconsequential of things, such as how _Kurumi_ had also taken her boots off, and her mind wandered back to how she had done the same last night.

And then she noticed the flintlock pistol sitting on the table, the barrel gleaming hungrily. She never had to carry her pistol around, always being able to summon it from her shadows when needed. Kurumi placing it on the desk, in plain view, was a signal of intent.

“ _Me_ …” Kurumi swallowed.

 _Kurumi_ looked up from the photo, and smiled coldly. Replacing the photo on the desk, she rested a hand against her pistol, a finger tapping against the body ominously.

“You’ve certainly been up to quite a lot, as usual,” she said casually, her tone icy. “It’s been a while since we last saw each other; we really do need to catch up, wouldn’t you agree? As a matter of fact, why don’t you start, _me_? I’ve been _dying_ to know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is Kurumi x Shido x Kurumi aka Power Perversion Potential. Maybe. 
> 
> Apologies for how long this chapter took. Hopefully the length made up for it.
> 
> For those of you who are just here to read about Kurumi getting off, I also apologise for swamping it with story. This went in a different direction to what I was expecting. But I frontloaded this story with the porn last chapter, and there will be more Kurumi orgasms eventually . 
> 
> Many, many heartfelt thanks to ShadowedTime for beta-ing, providing encouragement and feedback, and stopping my egregious comma abuse. If this chapter reads better, it is thanks to them. 
> 
> As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated!


	3. A Promise She Gives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kurumi, her clone, and Shido deal with the personal aftermath of night before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is this? Do your eyes deceive you? An update? 
> 
> So, uh…I’m sorry for taking so long? As it turns out, writing is hard when you have a mentally draining full-time job, not to mention a shit-tonne of stuff dropped into my personal life. Oh and I got into Hyperdimension Neptunia and ended up writing a story for that. And just when I thought I had a free week to write, it turns out, not so much. So I’m pretty sure life conspired to remove as much of my free time as possible to prevent this chapter from being released. 
> 
> But, I have returned! Rest assured, I plan to complete this story, so you’ll see Shido and Kurumi through to the end. This chapter has been cut in half from what I originally planned – though given the length of this chapter, I may have to work on my planning abilities. Hopefully the next one won’t take nearly as long. And to make up for my long absence, have twice the Kurumi in this one. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter! And for all readers who have been patiently waiting, thank you for sticking around and until next time! 
> 
> A huge thank you to my wonderful beta, ShadowedTime for beta-reading, offering feedback, succeeding where my brain failed me, and giving the most wholesome encouragement. Do me a favour and give them a look, particularly if you're interested in Date A Bullet.

_Then._

Night was cold. An obvious fact, yet one that was truly felt if you stood atop a skyscraper during said night. The wind would howl against your face, sending sharp slivers of cold slicing deep into your skin; a discomforting situation at best, and unbearably frigid at its worst, but Kurumi paid little heed to the biting chill as she leaned forward against the railing. Her Astral Dress already protected her from the worst of the elements, but even if it couldn’t, she would have barely noticed if the bitter cold somehow managed to penetrate deeply into her bones; she was far too lost in the turmoil of her own thoughts, in the raging tumult of conflicting emotions twisting and turning within her heart, to notice such things. 

She supposed it was all a bit melodramatic, the stuff all movie dramas were made of: the villainess, beautiful, dark and mystifying, gazing down from atop a building with but her thoughts for company, beneath gentle moonlight and unforgiving cold. But Kurumi enjoyed it, found a peaceful calm in the perspective the view gave her. A million or more humans, scurrying about in an unending river of moving lights. A beautiful sight, in a way. A shame then, that she still wasn’t able to enjoy it, for that single question burning in her mind ever since her meeting with her clones earlier that day.

What did Shido mean to her?

Such a simple question, yet one with so much meaning layered beneath it. It irked her to no end that it had been her own clones who posed such a dilemma to her. Truthfully, when that alarm had gone off in the morning while she sat atop Shido, Kurumi had welcomed the distraction. Kurumi hated breaking her word, even if it had been made in a fuzzy, post-coitus haze, and Shido would have definitely questioned her about what they meant to each other now. If she couldn’t present the answer to her own clones’ question, then how would she ever be able to answer his? 

Kurumi sighed.

So what did Shido mean to her? At first, food. Another human, though better than most of the rabble that filled the streets of the city. But in the initial scheme of things, he was inconsequential as a person. It was his power that attracted her. A means to an end. But then, even after seeing what she had done, he had stepped in front of a definitively fatal blow aimed at her. Undoubtedly, he had saved her life. And despite herself, Kurumi found her interest piqued, wondering what sort of person would do such a thing. She had assumed that his moralistic views of the world were little more than a veneer for whatever lay beneath. The good did not exist in this world. Everyone wanted something for themselves; something that she knew personally, all too well. 

But she had seen him hold staunchly onto his beliefs, refusing to let her kill Miku even after the songstress had stolen everything from him. An ally of convenience then? They _had_ made a pretty fantastic team when they partnered up to save the world from Origami, and Origami from herself. He trusted her implicitly, taking her word and advice at face value, even if he hadn’t said so explicitly.

But then, even as she put them in a situation where they would be rivals once more, last night happened.

Was he a lover? The most dangerous label of them all. Kurumi was no stranger to sex, and had used it as a weapon in itself. But as the pleasant memories of the night returned, sending the smallest shivers down her spine, it was impossible to call it sex for the sake of seduction. Kurumi could barely remember the last time she had such an intense climax. But of all the snatches of the night that passed her eyes, one in particular stayed with her; the look of euphoria on Shido’s face as their bodies met in a most intimate unison – but more than that, she saw the unmistakable adoration that shone brightly in his eyes, as he gazed up at her, hands gently holding onto her hips…

She closed her eyes, forcing the images away.

 _Stop it. He only cares about sealing your power. He doesn’t care about_ you _._

Yes. He only really cared about sealing her. Kurumi told herself she could live with that; in the end, all she needed was his power. She didn’t need his feelings, whether they be real or imagined. But if that was the case, then why did the thought hurt so much? And why then, did the memories of that night keep surfacing?

Nowhere close to resolving her own feelings, Kurumi welcomed the sudden distraction as the sound of feet lightly touching against the floor reached her ears. Other senses kicked in; the familiar sensation of faded Reiryoku from a sealed Spirit washing over her skin, and a pair of hostile eyes boring into her back. She gracefully spun around in two smooth steps, her dress flaring up around her with the motion. As expected, a slim, white-haired girl stood before her a few metres away.

Kurumi offered her a charming smile. 

“Good evening, Origami-san. What can I do for you tonight? It’s a little late for a tea party, unfortunately.” As Kurumi tilted her head, her smile became more scandalous in nature, and she touched the tip of her finger to her lips. “Or perhaps you are here for, dare I say, a late night rendezvous?” 

The searing heat of her smile, promising all sorts of unearthly pleasures, in tandem with her suggestive tone, laced with sensual meaning, would have rendered most men and indeed, most women, incoherent messes. It was one of her favourite ways to throw people off-balance – letting their own imaginations run wild and do the work for her.

Origami ignored it all.

“You had sex with Shido.” As usual, the white-haired Spirit’s words were blunter than a hammer.

Kurumi gave a light laugh, her smile widening. “Perhaps I did. And what of it?”

If Kurumi had been in possession of a fan, she would have undoubtedly unfolded it in front of her mouth by now, exposing only her twinkling eyes. Origami maintained her steady gaze, entirely focused on her goal. 

“I want your memories.”

 _That_ was unexpected. Kurumi couldn’t keep her surprise from the only words that made it past her lips: “Excuse me?”

Origami didn’t so much as blink. “Zaphkiel has the power to share memories. Shido confirmed this when he said you showed him yours. Therefore, I want your memories of when you had sex with him.”

“Ara ara~” Kurumi recovered with a smile. “What a strange request. But really Origami-san…did you honestly think you could just find me and demand such a thing? I thought you better than that.”

Origami shook her head. “This isn’t a demand. I want to bargain. Zaphkiel requires time to use its powers. I’m willing to give you my time, as much as you require, plus extra, in exchange for those memories.”

Kurumi gave her opposite a thoughtful look. For once, the teasing smile had dropped from her face as she took in the other Spirit. Her long, pitch-black hair, carried by the wind, tickled gently across her cheeks, and her mismatched red and golden eyes met Origami’s pure blue ones. One looking upon the scene wouldn’t be able to help but contrast the two girls as they stood across from each other – Kurumi, the taller of the two, bold in dress and personality, met the slighter, expressionless and near emotionless Origami, the pure white of her limited Astral Dress shining bright, in an intense contest of wills.

Eventually, Kurumi shrugged. Even her patience had limits. “My apologies Origami-san, but I must kindly decline your offer. My memories are mine alone.”

“I see.” Beyond those words, Origami barely blinked in response to the rejection.

Kurumi’s smile returned, seeing as no further response was forthcoming from the other Spirit. “So what will it be now, Origami-san? Will you, as you said the last time we met like this, use any means necessary to make me agree?”

“No.”

“Ara…what a surprise. I wonder what it is that you’re planning…” Kurumi’s eyes narrowed.

“Nothing. But I have one thing that I want to ask you.”

“I think you’ve used up all the questions that you’re allowed to ask by now.” 

Unblinking and undeterred by Kurumi’s rejection, Origami, emotionless at the best of times, looked serious as she stared at the other girl. “Why did you have sex with Shido?”

For the second time that night, Kurumi was caught off-guard. Suspicion lingered in her scarlet eye. Origami might not have been the most knowledgeable in relationships; in fact, her definition of an intimate relationship would quite easily translate into a relationship of an entirely different nature by most other people's definition – most of the Spirits for that matter, were severely lacking in this area – but she wasn’t stupid. There had to be a reason why she had asked that specific question. “You have a penchant for asking strange questions, Origami-san. Surely you know why.”

“I want to know what you have schemed. Shido is a good person. Even though he gives the others too much attention, he genuinely cares for our wellbeing and our happiness.” Origami gave Kurumi an intense stare. “…including yours.”

“And what makes you think that, Origami-san?”

“His tone changes, and he has a far-off look whenever he talks about you. He doesn’t appear to be aware of it, but I can tell. As a person, he doesn’t treat any of us lightly. Undoubtedly, having sex would mean something to him. It would be cruel for you to have sex with him and then throw it away.”

Kurumi gave an ironic laugh. “Cruel? Did you happen to forget who you’re talking to, Origami-san?” 

“No. It confuses me why he would choose you first, and I have made a mistake in underestimating your craftiness. But regardless, Shido does not deserve to have his feelings twisted by someone like you. He has shown all of us nothing but love and care, and he deserves to be happy. He has constantly shown you support, regardless of how little you might deserve it. But, if you cannot see the type of person he is, or how much he cares about you, and you use sex to hurt him – then you are truly deserving of your title as the Worst Spirit.”

Unfathomably, Origami’s words stung, and any biting response Kurumi had died in her mouth. Origami paused, before speaking up again. “And if you do so much as hurt him, then I will hurt you in return.”

That caused Kurumi to glance up, and she forced a laugh. “Is that a threat, Origami-san?”

“No. It is a promise.”

Without looking back, Origami turned and flew off into the night sky, leaving Kurumi alone on the roof with only the weight of the other Spirit’s words for company.

_He genuinely cares about us. Including you._

Anger swelled up within her heart again, and Kurumi resisted the urge to slam her fist against the railing. That the anger wasn’t aimed towards Shido, or even at Origami, made it all the more worse.

After all, all of that anger was directed solely at herself.

So caught up in the roiling emotions, Kurumi was barely aware of the passage of time, until one of her clones hesitantly stepped up to her. She turned, taking note of the look of concern. 

“ _Me_ … The clone started in a faltering voice. She cleared her throat again.

“We have a… _issue_ , at Shido-san’s house…”

* * *

_Now_.

“ _Me_ …”

Kurumi was no stranger to death. She had killed people with her own two hands, had seen herself cut down in droves. She had even experienced it herself, at least twice before. It didn’t make the spectre of death facing her right now any less terrifying. After all, she had never seen her death coming with her own eyes.

“You’ve certainly been up to quite a lot, as usual,” the real Kurumi was saying. “It’s been a while since we last saw each other; we really do need to catch up, wouldn’t you agree? As a matter of fact, why don’t you start, me? I’ve been _dying_ to know.”

 _Kurumi’s_ emphasis did not go unnoticed, and Kurumi shivered beneath that icy glare.

“And please don’t lie to me. I can already guess, and smell, what happened,” Kurumi added.

Kurumi knew better than to beg or plead: her fate had been sealed the moment she had knocked on Shido’s door last night, and it was something she was perfectly fine with. She would not however, allow any harm to befall him because of her. 

“It is as you said, _me_. I came to see Shido-san last night of my own volition. Things…escalated from there,” Kurumi said in a low voice, as not to wake Shido. She was also unable to prevent the light blush that rose to her cheeks at the memory.

“That much I gathered.” _Kurumi_ didn’t appear impressed by her statement at all. “What have you told him?”

“Only the truth, _me_.”

“The truth,” Kurumi parroted back. “I don’t recall ordering any of my clones to tell Shido-san ‘the truth’.”

“You didn’t – I chose to tell him myself.”

“And what could have possibly possessed you, to think that you should do that against my orders?”

“It was a simple choice, _me_. I thought that Shido-san should be aware of the scale of the sacrifice that _we_ , and _you_ , made for him. Is that not beneficial for all of us? Doesn’t it increase his chance of survival, if he knows what danger he is going to experience? And…doesn’t it warm your heart, knowing that he appreciates the sacrifices that we have all made to get this far?” Kurumi had sat up on the bed now, but still remained next to the sleeping Shido, a hand on his bare chest.

 _Kurumi_ stayed quiet, ruminating over her clone’s words. She would have to check on her other clone now, the one with the eyepatch and the rose in her hair, back when she had suddenly become self-conscious of her own individuality. This clone appeared to have caught onto that clone’s peculiar habit of answering questions with questions. As valid as they were, and even that much Kurumi hated admitting, even to herself, it was still not something she could just let go by.

“It isn’t that simple,” _Kurumi_ tried to argue.

“From my perspective, it really is,” she replied simply.

A pregnant pause filled the air, broken only by the sounds of Shido’s breathing as he continued to sleep, oblivious to the sheer tension and danger in his very room.

“Get up,” Kurumi ordered at last.

She did so, gingerly separating herself from Shido, who let out a disappointed groan and twisted about at the sudden loss of warmth. Standing naked before Kurumi, there was a quick flash as the shadows rose up and surrounded the clone. By the time the shadows disappeared into flecks, she was again clad in her Astral Dress; and in moments, she was all but indistinguishable from the Kurumi sitting on the chair across from her.

“Before I kill you, I have one more question.”

The clone nodded in response.

“Why did you do this? You know what the punishment for disobeying my will is. I cannot afford to have any of _me_ turn rogue, not at a critical time like this. Surely you knew that you would be caught. Yet you did so anyway, and not for the first time either. So then, why? Even I am not so suicidal as to do such a thing.” Kurumi arched a brow questioningly.

“You already know why, _me_ ,” her clone looked demurely at the ground.

“Indulge me.”

For the first time since her real self had shown up, Kurumi raised her head and smiled, as faint as it was. “Because I love him, _me_. And…so do you.”

Kurumi froze. Again – and it was starting to become a distressingly common occurrence – she was rendered speechless as she tried to come up with something, anything, to say to counter her clone’s misperceptions.

If anything, her lack of a response caused the clone to smile more openly. “I’m right, am I not? It's okay, _me_. I don't hate you for that. I am still _me_ in the end, regardless of who Shido-san chooses among _us_.”

That finally got a rise out of Kurumi, and she rose from the chair before storming over to stand before her clone. Credit to her, she barely flinched as an angry Kurumi loomed threateningly over her, almost nose-to-nose.

“You are _not_ me,” Kurumi growled between gritted teeth. “You were born from a memory long passed: immature, naïve, _soft_.”

The harsh evaluation of her character didn't stop the clone’s smile from softening. “Perhaps I am all of those. But at least I am honest with my heart.”

Kurumi glared at her, deciding not to dignify the clone with a response. Instead, taking a breath to calm down and regain her composure, Kurumi took two steps back.

“Is there anything else that you have to say for yourself?” Kurumi asked, much like a judge before the convicted. An analogy not too far removed, given that she was basically the judge, jury and executor in this very situation.

The clone shook her head. “No. Nothing more. I have already told him that I am willing to give my life for him. All I ask of _me_ is this: please do not let him see me die. Not again.”

Kurumi glared at her, weighing up her request before finally settling on a decision. “Very well. For your transgressions, I cannot allow you to live any longer. Pass onto the next life.”

She raised her hand and clenched it into a fist. The shadow beneath her clone suddenly expanded and numerous elongated, sickly white hands grabbed her limbs and _pulled_. The clone sunk into the shadow slowly, almost ponderously. A tear fell from her eyes, but she made no attempt to escape as she was dragged inexorably to her final fate.

“Kurumi!”

Shido’s hand suddenly reached out for her from seemingly nowhere, and grasped her arm in a death grip. She looked up, shock breaking through the tears. He pulled, and pulled, and pulled, but even his desperation-fuelled attempts was not able to overcome the force that slowly sucked the clone into the shadow. “No! I won’t let you go!”

“S-Shido-san…”

 _Kurumi_ sighed explosively, shaking her head at the drama unfolding before her. “How troublesome…”

She snapped a finger, and the shadow beneath Shido suddenly grew and encompassed his entire person. Pale, ghostly arms wrapped themselves around his waist and limbs, and a familiar, icy-cold sensation seeped into his bones as he sunk into Kurumi’s shadow with all the slow finality of a doomed man in quicksand.

He felt the strength leave him as Kurumi disappeared into the shadow, managing to see her trying to mouth something to him before being dragged beneath the black. The last thing he saw before the same shadows swallowed him up was Kurumi’s face. A complicated mix of emotions crossed her face as their eyes met.

“Ku…ru…mi…” He managed one last, choking gurgle before he too disappeared, and the shadows closed up after him.

It was over within seconds: Kurumi stood alone in Shido’s room where three people once were. Gone was any trace of the other Kurumi. So too was any trace of Shido, with the exception of his belongings. The Spirit sighed again, not dissimilar to a parent after disciplining a petulant child and started moving to the Shido’s desk. The boy’s shout was loud enough to wake the neighbours, let alone Kotori who slept in the same house. The fiery Spirit was probably getting ready to break down the door any minute now, and _that_ was not a conversation that Kurumi planned on having – particularly given that it would likely devolve into a conversation involving bullets. 

Sitting down at the desk again, Kurumi grabbed the nearest pen and paper before neatly writing out a note. She gave a quick once over, before folding it neatly and leaving it on the desk. The sound of a person thundering down the hallway was indication enough that her time was up. It took only a second for her to sink into her shadow once more, disappearing from the physical realm moments before the door burst open under a furious foot.

Kurumi let out another sigh as the muffled sounds of Kotori’s anger faded away. That was far too close for her comfort. While she was under no impression that the note would pacify Kotori in anyway, it would (hopefully) at least signify to her that she was not in the middle of making an attempt on Shido’s life. Her clone on the other hand – that was another story altogether. 

* * *

_Cold…cold, cold, cold cold **coldcoldcold**_ …

Being sucked into Kurumi’s shadow was never a pleasant experience. Doubly so when Kurumi’s ire was drawn.

Even disregarding the fact that she used her shadow to consume people’s time, it would be impossible to ignore the icy tendrils of numbness sinking its teeth into his limbs, and the all-pervasive blackness surrounding him disorientated every sense of direction. Making things worse was the fact that _he couldn’t see the clone._ His mind immediately leapt to the worst-possible outcome: gone, out of his reach, dead…

Shido panicked.

“Kurumi!”

He, for lack of a better word, tried to frantically ‘swim’ through the shadows, but with everything being pitch-black around him, and having no landmarks to orientate himself to, he couldn’t even tell if he was moving or not.

“Kurumi!”

A pair of slender, pale arms suddenly wrapped themselves around his waist, pinning his arms to his side. He knew – somehow – that they did not belong to the clone from last night.

“Shido-san, I understand that you are worried, but I need you to relax,” Kurumi’s voice in his ear urged him.

It had about the same effect as politely asking an enraged bull to stop charging.

“Kurumi! Let me go!” Shido immediately started to twist and turn, as if he could wriggle his way out of the arms locked around him.

“Shido-san, please calm down. I don’t want to hurt you, so _please_ stop moving,” Kurumi sounded more exasperated as she tried to calm him down. 

Not that it appeared to help – the boy still thrashed and struggled within her grasp, fighting to escape to goodness-where, given that they were in Kurumi’s shadow dimension.

“Shido-san, _please_!”

Shido was suddenly spun around, and he stopped the moment he saw Kurumi. The Spirit somehow stood out perfectly clearly against the pitch blackness surrounding them, as if she was standing in front of him in broad daylight instead of the murky darkness. But it wasn’t the fact that he could see her clearly that stopped him from moving. Rather, it was which clone he saw. It most certainly wasn’t the real Kurumi, but it also wasn’t the clone he had just been with – that much was obvious, given the Kurumi clone holding him by the shoulders wore a frilled black and white dress, but also, most distinctively, wore a medical eye-patch over her left eye and had let her hair down, pinned with a single ornamental rose.

It was the same Kurumi that he saw when he had gone back in time to change the world after Origami’s inversion.

“Kurumi?” He wrinkled his brow in confusion.

In reply, the other Kurumi sighed. “ _Thank_ _you_.”

She released him, before floating back, enough to not loom in Shido’s face while speaking.

“First thing: here are your clothes. Please get dressed, Shido-san,” the oddly-dressed clone held out a set of clothing for Shido. His cheeks burning in embarrassment as he realised his nudity, he quickly pulled his clothes on, not noticing the clone’s appreciative gaze.

Now fully-dressed, the clone cleared her throat before continuing. 

“We don’t have much time before the real _me_ summons us again. I will warn you now: _me_ is quite upset. If you want to save the other _me_ , then you will need to take drastic action, and quickly. There will be little time to spare,” Kurumi’s clone warned him. 

“But, Kurumi…” Having been dragged from sleep what felt like minutes ago, and confronted with the literal life-or-death situation with the other Kurumi clone, it was hardly surprising that Shido could barely string a sentence together.

The clone before him sighed, but any words she had to say were cut-off as the shadows opened up above them.

“Time to go. Remember what I told you,” Kurumi said, gently wrapping her arms around Shido’s waist from behind and flying towards the opening.

* * *

Shido blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the sudden onset of light. Having been in Kurumi’s shadow once before, it was disorientating enough to come out onto a darkened stage; even more so when he suddenly emerged into a brightly lit room, the sun piercing through the curtain covering the window. It appeared to be a bedroom, and wouldn’t have been out of place in any other house in Tengu city, save for the sparseness; aside from a double bed, well-made, and a desk and chair, there was very little else by way of decoration in the room. Shido realised that Kurumi must have taken them to yet another one of her safehouses sequestered in the city.

He felt more than he saw the clone’s arms releasing him, gently guiding him onto solid ground; his mouth going dry at the sight before him. 

One Kurumi stood in front of him - and he could tell it was the real Kurumi, given the dangerous demeanour she was radiating; yet in spite of that, he couldn’t help but feel his heart skip a beat upon seeing her. And across the room from him…his heart leapt into his throat this time as he saw the clone from Tanabata, looking shocked but unharmed. She made to rush over, but Shido, remembering what the other clone had told him about Kurumi’s mood, shook his head quickly, nodding over at Kurumi standing not too far away from them. The clone stopped dead in her tracks, and nodded subtly, and Shido turned back to the real Kurumi.

The real Kurumi gave the clone presumably behind him a dour glare before turning her attention back to Shido. Her expression softened marginally as she met his gaze.

“Good morning, Shido-san. My apologies for troubling you this morning, and for any inconveniences that _me_ over there might have caused you last night.” Kurumi gave him a small curtsy and dipped her head briefly.

“There was no trouble,” Shido replied automatically, before he shook himself out of it and remembered the other clone’s warning. “Kurumi, wait! Don’t hurt her, she didn’t do anything wrong…”

Kurumi tilted her head questioningly.

“She just came to see me last night – she told me the truth about you and your clones, and what all of you have done for me. She didn’t mean to hurt you or anything.” Seeing as how Kurumi hardly looked impressed by his explanation, Shido decided that he needed to do something more drastic. “And she’s still you! I don’t want you to keep killing yourself!”

Kurumi scoffed. “Ara ara, how presumptuous of you, Shido-san. I share myself with you willingly, everything, my body included, and this how you repay me? To assume that any of them are still _me_? That girl standing over there next to you, is _not_ me.”

“I…”

“And as for not meaning to hurt me? I know what you and her got up to last night, Shido-san,” Kurumi gave him a very pointed look, causing Shido to blush furiously.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you!” Shido managed to cry out.

Kurumi tsked. “Shido-san, you really need to learn how to deal with a girl’s feelings better. However, I’m not hurt by your actions: perhaps a bit upset, but not hurt.”

Both Shido and the clone almost-visibly relaxed – until Kurumi spoke up again.

“However, that doesn’t mean I am especially happy with this situation. That _me_ has wilfully disobeyed my orders. So while I have no intention of hurting you, Shido-san, punishment must be meted out for her.”

Kurumi’s pistol flew up into her hand, and in an instant was levelled at the clone, much to the clone’s alarm and Shido’s shock.

“ _Me_ , remember what I asked!”

“Kurumi, wait!” Shido reacted faster than Kurumi thought possible, the boy clearing the distance in record time and throwing himself in front of her clone, spreading himself bodily out in front of her; blocking any clear shot Kurumi had. “Don’t kill her!”

“Shido-san, _move_.” Kurumi’s pistol did not waver in the slightest.

He shook his head, refusing to budge. “I won’t let you kill her again.”

Kurumi’s clone, who had her hand on his shoulder, tightened her grasp slightly. By way of contrast, Kurumi’s finger tightened almost imperceptibly on the trigger.

For Shido, memories were brought back; far less pleasant ones, too. Kurumi, standing among the gore and bodies, before almost casually disposing of the last of the group. Kurumi right now was just as terrifying as she was back then. He hadn’t felt fear from Kurumi this strong since that time when they had first met.

But he had grown a lot since then too.

“If you kill her…I won’t forgive you! I’ll never give you what you want willingly! You’ll have to take it from my dead body!” It was a desperate gamble, as he used the only chip that he had left on the bargaining table.

“Be careful what you wish for, Shido-san,” Kurumi warned. “If that is what you wish, then I can always just take what I want from you.” 

“But you won’t,” Shido countered, heart pounding, arms still outstretched and covering the clone bodily. “Remember our bet, Kurumi? If you can capture my heart, then my powers are yours? If you kill her, then you’ll never be able to win my heart ever again. You’ll lose.”

“What makes you so sure I won’t deceive you and kill her sometime after, Shido-san?” 

“Because you keep your word, Kurumi,” Shido’s voice was stable, surprising even himself. “As you always have done. I’m confident about that.”

Another moment passed.

Kurumi’s eyes narrowed, but Shido saw that her finger had loosened from the trigger slightly, and pushed on. Figuring that threatening her all the time was not going to work, he tried something else.

“Please Kurumi. If you let her live, then...then I might have a change of heart! You don't have to keep resorting to killing every time something happens; you can be better than this. I know…I want you to be better than this,” he all but pleaded with her, meeting her mismatched glare.

The silence in the room lasted for almost a minute. Yet it felt like an eternity for everyone watching – even more so for the clone, given that it was her life or death on the line. But finally, Kurumi’s glare softened, and she let out a sigh – whether in disappointment or for some other reason, Shido wasn’t able to tell – before lowering the pistol.

“Very well then,” she said at last. “Then let me propose this: if, _if_ both of you listen to my orders _exactly_ , then I will consider not killing her.”

Kurumi waited a moment, before taking their silence as an agreement. She gestured to the bed behind Shido and her clone. “Sit.”

Both of them moved back and gingerly sat as ordered, while Kurumi pulled up a chair before them; worryingly, with pistol still in hand, even as she leaned back comfortably.

“As it stands, I still cannot leave this infraction be; that _me_ broke my orders, very deliberately. Were she to go unpunished, it might encourage the other _mes_ with more…whimsical tendencies to take matters into their own hands,” Kurumi stated, and continued before her clone and Shido could get a word in. “Since you would rather that I do not lay hands on her…then you, Shido-san, will punish her for me.” 

A moment passed as Kurumi’s words sank in, and Shido exploded in a flurry of movement and protest, while her clone simply sat still, absorbing the words.

“What?! Kurumi, are you crazy? You want me to punish her? I thought you agreed not to hurt her!”

Kurumi raised an eyebrow. “Ara, someone appears to have forgotten our agreement. I suppose this will have to do it instead then…” she said, raising the pistol threateningly.

“Wait, wait! Stop!” Shido furiously waved his hands at her to stop. “What do you want me to do?”

“Punish her,” Kurumi answered simply. “How else would you discipline an unruly child?”

Shido’s look of confusion caused Kurumi to smile ever-so-slightly before she answered her own question. “Take her over your knee, and discipline her.”

The pieces finally clicked together in Shido’s head.

“I can’t do that!” He protested again. “I won’t do that! I’ve never hit anyone before, and –”

“It’s okay, Shido-san,” the Kurumi clone finally spoke up again, and he turned to face her. Incredibly, she had a light blush on her cheeks as she spoke. “It is as _me_ says: I have been unruly. And if it’s you…then I don’t mind.”

Shocked speechless, Shido had no answer as Kurumi smiled triumphantly. “Then, get a move on, _me_.”

The clone nodded, before she discarded her boots and tucked her legs beneath her. She gave Shido a soft smile, before luxuriously stretching herself out over his lap with cat-like grace. Bunching her dress, she pulled it up, exposing her smooth, perfectly shaped rear, still clad in the black, lacy panties he had chosen for her almost a year ago.

The reality sinking in, Shido gulped, before gently placing his hand on her rear. If anything, the feeling of her smooth and firm flesh in his hands only reinforced the realness of what he was about to do. The clone, _Kurumi_ , noticing his hesitation, craned her neck around to glance up at him, giving him a reassuring nod.

Now or never.

Shido lifted his hand, and brought it down on _Kurumi’s_ right cheek with a gentle slap. She flinched slightly at the impact, but otherwise made no other reaction.

Kurumi on the other hand, rolled her eyes. “Harder, Shido-san,” she rebuked him. “You can do better than that. I’m not asking you to kill her, just punish her.”

“S-sorry…”

Unsure of whether that was intended for the Kurumi sitting in the chair, or the Kurumi on his lap, Shido swallowed, and brought his hand up again. This time, he brought it down on her left cheek with a resounding _crack_. Kurumi yelped in a mixture of pain and shock, the firm flesh of her rear shaking satisfyingly with the impact.

“That’s better,” Kurumi noted with approval. “Again.”

With more confidence this time, Shido raised his hand again and brought it down with another meaty smack on her cheek. This time, Kurumi let out a stifled moan of pain, gripping the covers on the bed between her fingers.

“Keep going,” Kurumi ordered. She felt her heart skip a beat at the sound of the next strike, and crossed her legs before leaning forward, her interest spiking.

Mentally apologising to the Kurumi on his lap, Shido again lifted his hand and struck Kurumi’s rear. Again. And again. And again. Alternating between cheeks, he struck her, the room filling with the sharp cracks of hand meeting flesh and Kurumi’s moans of pain, growing in volume as her attempts to stifle them slowly failed. By the time he struck her for the fifth time, Kurumi broke, and finally cried out, squeezing her eyes shut, a tear falling to the covers. The sound caused Shido to freeze.

The Kurumi who had instigated all of this nodded for him to continue, looking at him expectantly. Remembering her words, and left with little choice but to continue, he reluctantly raised his hand again. Moments before he could bring his hand down again, Kurumi suddenly interrupted him. 

“Wait – remove her panties.”

With little choice but to obey, Shido slid his hands across Kurumi’s hips. Granted a brief reprieve from the painful slaps, the Kurumi lying on Shido’s lap shuddered briefly as he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her panties. She raised her hips slightly to allow him to yank them off her, exposing her rear for him and the real Kurumi to see. The skin of her rear, once snow-white and perfect, was now burning a bright red from his blows.

Shido felt himself harden again, seeing the compromising position that Kurumi had been forced into. It wasn’t just the sight of her perfect rear pushed into the air. That alone would have been enough to spike his arousal; but there was also something oddly intoxicating and heady about having such a dominant personality, even if it was a clone, rendered helpless and squirming in his lap. The squirming certainly didn’t reduce his arousal either, the smooth skin of her stomach rubbing up against his length. He couldn’t resist gently caressing her ass, lovingly touching the area where he had struck her moments ago. The sensation, the starkest contrast between harsh blows and loving touch, caused Kurumi to gasp. He was suddenly brought out of his near-reverie when a pair of arms suddenly wrapped themselves around his neck, and Kurumi’s lips brushed against his ear.

“Look at her. How does that make you feel? Seeing _me_ , so helpless, so powerless, in your lap? How does it feel, knowing you’ve left your mark on her?” Kurumi whispered, her fingers tracing their way down his chest. “I’ll let you in on a little secret of _me_ : we enjoy the pain…” 

Something in Kurumi’s voice or her words sparked a flare of interest in Shido. She was right. The sheer power that he held over the Kurumi in his lap, the eroticism, all of it fed into a heady mixture that made focusing on anything but the Kurumi on his lap impossible. For the first time, he raised his hand of his own will, bringing it down yet again in a stinging slap. Kurumi cried out in pain.

“Good,” Kurumi whispered, tracing circles on his chest with her nails, the teasing touches sending another spike of arousal through him. “Remember, this _me_ has been a very naughty girl. She has hurt a lot of people. And you get to punish her for her sins.” 

Almost on reflex, the hand came down again, and Kurumi’s pain-laced voice filled the room. Falling into a rhythm, Shido’s hand came down again and again and again. With each stinging slap, Kurumi’s cries of pain accompanied it, as the clone did her best to quietly muffle her sobs and tears into the covers, her rear shaking from each sharp impact. In time, the cries died away, Kurumi growing numb to the pain of each slap against her rear, a low moan of pain – and something else – escaping her hoarse throat each time. With a start, Shido looked down and realised that Kurumi was actually becoming aroused from the pain; in the light of the room, he could clearly see her lower lips nestled between her cheeks: her _swollen_ , engorged lower lips, wet and trickling with her with arousal. Kurumi was actually enjoying the harsh blows that he had been delivering – so much so, that she was actually turned on by his punishment. And she wasn’t the only Kurumi secretly enjoying the experience.

Kurumi had initially gotten up to whisper encouragement in Shido’s ear, but as he continued, she had wandered back around so that she could see more clearly. She couldn’t help but lick her lips at the sight of _herself_ spread out over Shido’s lap, subjected a relentless series of stinging slaps that rendered snow-white skin an angry, burning red, and for a brief moment she couldn’t help but wish it was _her_ in her clone’s place instead. As the cries of pain gave way to moans of pleasure mixed with pain, soon, even those thoughts had fallen away, much like the pistol which had long fallen from her fingers; fingers that were now delicately brushing across her breasts, the teasing caresses heightening her own arousal. Her breaths shortened and became heavier, as one of her secret fantasies played out before her; only this time, it was real.

Almost without conscious thought or deliberation, one of Kurumi’s hands slipped down lower between her thighs, and a moan escaped her own lips as she lightly ran a finger across the front of her panties. The experience was almost surreal; here was she was, masturbating, touching herself to the sight of Shido smacking her clone across the rear, inducing cries of equal parts pleasure and pain.

Eventually, her own hunger and arousal got the better of her.

“Enough,” Kurumi ordered, although not nearly as authoritatively as she would have liked, her own voice shaky. Shido and her clone looked up at her as she staggered over, and shoved Shido onto his back.

“Strip,” Kurumi ordered, clearly directed at Shido. To her clone, she gave a hard ‘move’. Shido and her clone hastily obeyed, removing clothing and sluggishly shifting around on the bed respectively, before the clone sat up to give Kurumi space. Barely acknowledging her clone’s presence, Kurumi quickly dropped down and straddled Shido’s waist, dismissing her Astral Dress as she did so. By the time she pressed her sex against his rock-hard length, she was already naked, and the boy groaned at the sudden heat and wetness enveloping his cock.

Kurumi spared her clone a glance, even as she elicited another grunt of pleasure from Shido, her hips rocking back and forth along his length, leaving a trail of her own arousal along his rigidity – almost as if she was marking her territory. She saw a mixture of shock, excitement and confusion milling on her clone’s face, as the clone stared, mesmerised, unable to take her own eyes off her progenitor’s actions.

“You wanted to have sex with Shido-san, _me_?” Kurumi emphasised her words with an assertive roll of her hips, forcing another groan from Shido, louder this time as she deliberately ground her lower lips against his sensitive head. “Then watch.”

With that, Kurumi swiftly reached down, repositioned Shido’s cock beneath her, and dropped down in a single smooth motion.

“Ah!” Kurumi hissed at the sudden violation of her sex, but that was nothing compared to the cry of pleasure that Shido let out; the feeling of her hot, wet flesh clamping down and sliding across his length, as aroused and pent-up as he was from having spent what felt like forever disciplining the clone, was nothing short of divine.

Kurumi didn’t give herself any time to recover, before she lifted her hips and drove Shido back into her. Both of them cried out in pleasure, the aching emptiness that had been gnawing away at Kurumi since she had forced Shido to discipline her clone so satisfyingly fulfilled. And again, she lifted herself up, as far as she dared without letting Shido slip out from her sex, before dropping back down again, their hips meeting in carnal unison with a meaty smack.

This was unlike the last time she had spent the night with Shido. That night had been dominated by thoughts of giving herself to him, of convincing him that the near-unearthly pleasure she was capable of granting him would be worth forfeiting his life for. There had been a tenderness to her actions, a certain affection almost, as she took his virginity and guided him to intimacy with a woman. This time, there was none of that. Now, her thoughts were filled with the need to dominate him, fully, completely, absolutely, to make him _hers_. The thought almost made her giddy with excitement, even as pleasure began to fill her being as much as Shido’s hard cock filled her sex.

Even as she rode him roughly, slamming her hips and driving him deeper into her waiting and hungry flesh, Kurumi remembered that her clone was still there, next to him.

She spared her a glance, noting the redness in her cheeks, the wetness of her lips as her tongue flicked out, and the dampness trickling down her thighs as her fingers dipped between her legs.

“Is this…what you wanted… _me_?” Kurumi gasped between panting breaths, speaking each time she impaled herself on Shido’s length. “Did you – oh!”

Kurumi was cut-off mid-sentence when Shido gripped her hips tightly, and hilted himself deeply into her, even as she brought herself down. The unexpected thrust spent a burst of dizzying pleasure rushing through Kurumi, and she momentarily lost her train of thought in the haze of pleasure.

“S-Shido-san…just like that…” Kurumi panted.

The boy letting out a shuddering moan of pleasure when the beautiful Spirit riding him roughly suddenly slowed down, resisting his attempts to thrust back up, and forcing him to feel every last inch of her wet flesh sliding down his length.

Kurumi, breaths coming in short pants, was brought out of her daze when she met his gaze. Rather than the lust or hate she expected after everything she had done so far, she was stunned when all she could see was the shining adoration in his eyes. The sight caused everything she had done so far to leave a sour taste in her mouth, and Kurumi felt that same conflicting anger and confusion swelling up in her chest again, even as her loins burned with pleasure and fullness.

Tearing herself away from his eyes, she suddenly raked her nails down Shido’s chest, forcing a cry of pain from him even as she rocked her hips against him once again.

“Don’t you think I’m a bad person?”

She gripped his chest tightly, and roughly impaled herself back onto his length once again, sending a heady mixture of pain and pleasure shooting through Shido’s entire being.

“Ku-Kurumi…please…” Shido was only able to moan her name, almost pitifully, at the twinned sensations; but none of them were able to break his gaze, consumed as he was by Kurumi in almost every sense: physical, mental and emotional.

“I’ve hurt so many people!” Kurumi dug her nails deeper into his chest, almost drawing blood, even as her inner walls clamped tightly around Shido’s girth, taking him deeper within her sex.

 _You’ve helped others, too._ Shido, unable to respond for the sheer pleasure coursing through him – a pleasure that was only enhanced by the pain – could only wish that Kurumi was able to read his mind.

“I was going to hurt you.”

_But you didn’t. And you didn’t hurt her._

Even as she continued, rocking her hips back and forth, taking him deeper into her, forcing him to question her very being, Kurumi could never, ever get the adoration to leave Shido’s eyes; nor could she forget them, seeing that gaze even as she closed her own eyes, composure cracking beneath the pleasure of Shido’s cock pushing through her soaked folds, leaving her so deliciously _full_. And at some point, the line between pleasure and punishment and pain – if there ever was one – had been blurred.

_Ah…my clone…_

The thought suddenly drifted through her mind, and Kurumi realised with a start that she had forgotten all about her clone. And it was at that point, that her clone saw fit to join them.

“Let me help you, _me_ ,” _her_ voice whispered into her ear. It was a tone that she had never used on herself, and it sent shivers running down her spine.

She felt her clone’s arms wrap around her, hands lightly brushing along her thighs, running up her sides, yet they never dipped between the swell of her legs, where Shido’s length was still buried in her, still driving deep into her. Then the arms coiled tightly around her like a snake constricting around its prey; trapping her own arms behind her back, stopping her from moving, holding her still – rendering her helpless. She wasn’t fucking Shido anymore, but rather, quite the opposite: he was fucking her. He could dictate the pace, how fast to slam into her, how deeply he drove his length into her sopping wet heat. 

Kurumi had never given up control before, not like this; never like this. 

It sent a thrill of forbidden excitement racing through her, amplified the pleasure she felt as his cock penetrated her tenfold. That she could be rendered so helpless, left at their mercy – that she could be so _used_.

Kurumi loved every second of it.

It wasn’t lovemaking at its sweetest. There were no caring whispers, no loving glances, no gentle caresses. It was sex and lust in its purest form, raw and primal. Shido’s hands gripped her hips tightly, almost painfully, and she loved the feeling of his rougher and more calloused skin digging into her skin as his hips slammed against hers, driving deeper into her hungry sex. His hands and actions, so hard and masculine, contrasted wonderfully against her clone’s more feminine, supple and soft hands, as the other Kurumi gently caressed the smooth swell of her own breasts. Frustratingly, her clone never gave her breasts the attention she desperately craved; no fingers bit deeply into her soft flesh, and her nipples, despite standing stiff and proud, were never so much as touched. Such was the attention that she craved, Kurumi felt her breasts painfully _aching_ from the lack of touch. 

And then a hand ghosted over her nipple. Kurumi almost cried out, in anticipation of sweet relief, of fingers digging into and twisting her flesh – yet it disappeared just as quickly, and Kurumi groaned in disappointment. Immediately after, Shido’s cock thrust deeper into her pussy, and Kurumi gasped. The twinned sensations of the burning heat and desire between her legs, growing as Shido continued to fuck her, and painful lack of attention to her breasts, made infuriatingly worse by her clone’s continual ghost-like touches along the underside of her breasts, was driving Kurumi nearly insane with pleasure and frustration.

“Mmmm, you look desperate, _me_ ,” her clone breathed into her ear, before she gently traced a series of kisses down her neck.

Shido groaned as he sank deeper into Kurumi’s heat, enraptured by sight before him – Kurumi, her mouth open in pleasure as his length slid deeper and deeper into her, while another Kurumi hugged her from behind, sensually massaging her own self’s breasts whilst suckling on her neck. A moan escaped Kurumi’s lips, and her clone paused in her kisses to look up and wink at him, mouthing the words ‘slow down’ before she pressed her lips against Kurumi’s ear.

Kurumi whined as she felt Shido’s thrusts stop and his length begin to pull out. She desperately worked her hips, trying to bury his delicious hardness into her again, but her clone’s leverage over her meant she wasn’t able to move a muscle, as her voice sounded huskily in her ear again.

“If _me_ begs Shido-san, maybe he’ll understand what _me_ wants…”

In any other situation, Kurumi would have found it absolutely humiliating that her own clone would order her to beg to be fucked. Her pride would have ordinarily never allowed it. _She_ was the seductress. _She_ rendered men and women begging for sweet release. _She_ didn’t beg. But Kurumi’s inner masochist had been revelling in the situation; giving up control to Shido, letting him fuck and use her, letting her clone who she had treated so poorly control her orgasm, sent Kurumi’s arousal skyrocketing and excitement tingling through her whole body. It had been something she craved. 

All Kurumi could think about now was the aching emptiness between her legs, her clone’s hands as they gently traced their way across her sensitive breasts, the soft lips and tongue that were a copy of her own descending down her neck to that spot she knew she loved. She wanted Shido’s cock to spear deep into her hot and needy sex, she wanted to come – she was so _close_ , but her clone’s stubborn refusal to give her breasts any attention seemingly kept her orgasm maddeningly out of reach.

Kurumi gave in.

“Shido-san, please, fuck me, I’m begging you…” If she had been any less consumed by lust, Kurumi probably would have died before saying those words, but as it were, her overwhelming need for release swept any other concerns by the wayside. Anything to have 

Fortunately, Shido didn’t need any more encouragement than her clone smiling and giving him a nod; he had been holding back as much as possible to avoid slamming back into her wet heat. He gripped Kurumi’s hips, and forcefully pulled her down, impaling his length as deeply as he could within her. Kurumi cried out blissfully at the sudden violation, delighting in the sensation of herself being filled so wonderfully. At the same time, her clone finally pressed her lips and nipped at the curve of her neck, and roughly grabbed her breasts; carelessly squeezing soft, malleable flesh between her hands before at long last, pinching and twisting her nipples to the point where pleasure blurred with pain and Kurumi could no longer tell which was which.

Kurumi all but howled in pleasure.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, please, keep going -!” Kurumi cried out, barely able to form coherent sentences through the haze of lust and pleasure clouding her mind as the tidal wave of pleasure flooded her body. With the inevitability of a weakened dam straining to hold back a flood, Kurumi could feel her orgasm building, rearing its head to crash over her and wash everything away; but she struggled to force it back, grasping onto the last strands of coherent thought, desperate to keep experiencing the overwhelming pleasure of Shido’s cock ploughing through her soaked folds, of her clone painfully twisting her nipples and kneading her breasts for even one second longer. “Please, fuck me, please, use me, let me come, please, please please please please…”

The dam didn’t burst – it exploded. 

Stars suddenly filled her vision, and a torrent of pleasure tore through her entire body. Kurumi threw her head back, eyes wide, mouth open in a silent scream, limbs locked in place as if her body had suddenly disconnected from her mind due to the sheer, overwhelming pleasure. The smallest of strangled gasps managed to escape her throat as her body twitched, her mind racing ahead of her physical form. 

Then, her body finally caught up, and Kurumi _screamed_. Pleasure and ecstasy in its purest, most overpowering form flooded her entire being, setting every nerve alight. Her entire body convulsed and spasmed as she lost any semblance of higher thought and control. Her inner walls clamped down tightly around Shido’s cock, trying to draw out his precious essence, and he cried out as his own orgasm finally burst, his cock erupting with almost painful relief and smearing Kurumi’s inner folds with his seed.

Kurumi froze as the sensation set off her _second_ orgasm. Her voice died entirely in her throat and her body seized up in ecstasy. She was a prisoner in her own body, unable to move, unable to speak or even scream as pleasure wracked her to her very core. Such was the intensity of her orgasm, Kurumi blanked out, almost as if her body reacted instinctively to protect her mind.

After what seemed like an eternity, the pleasure finally subsided and Kurumi, quite literally, collapsed. Her clone caught her before she could topple off the bed; it spoke volumes of her lack of facility over her own body, in the aftermath of what was quite possibly the most intense orgasm Kurumi had ever experienced.

“There there,” Kurumi’s clone soothed, gently stroking her original’s hair and holding onto her still-convulsing, near-insensate body. She giggled as she looked at Shido, who groaned as he slipped out of Kurumi’s sex, looking similarly spent. “That was amazing, Shido-san. I’m almost jealous of _me_.”

Kurumi groaned in response, her form stirring and senses slowly returning to her.

“Y-you, sh- should be, _me_ ,” Kurumi managed to gasp, barely responsive as her clone gently laid her out on the bed next to Shido. The boy looked conflicted, torn between paying attention to Kurumi, or her clone; finally settling on gingerly rubbed Kurumi’s back as she heaved huge breaths, trying to recover.

“ _Me_ , take Shido-san back home, please. Before Kotori-san does anything she regrets.” Kurumi ordered at last. “Stay with him too. Make sure he survives.”

Her clone looked astonished at the order. Shido’s heart jumped into his throat as the implication settled. “Kurumi, you mean, you’re not going to kill her?”

Kurumi wearily pushed herself up on shaking arms. “Do you believe me to be so cruel? That I would go back on my word, or that I would kill her after _that_?”

She gave a tired smile, even as Shido tried to stammer out a response. No matter how much they coupled, outside of that it appeared that he was always flustered in her presence – and admittedly, she found it cute and endearing.

“Please go Shido-san, before Kotori-san embarks on a warpath.”

Shido clamped his mouth shut, took a deep breath and looked her dead in the eye. “Kurumi, thank you.”

Her clone stepped up next to him, fully dressed, and her shadow expanded beneath her feet. She gently took hold of his arm, and they started sinking into its depths. Before they disappeared, her clone turned to her – and gave her a grateful nod.

Kurumi sighed as she collapsed back onto the bed. By the gods, she was exhausted. Physically and emotionally. Despite being a supernatural being with limits far beyond normal human endurance, even she could tire. She had barely slept the night before, and then...this. Kurumi tried to go over everything that had just happened. She had every intention to kill her clone again. Her attachment to Shido was dangerous for her own plans, and at a crucial time like this, Kurumi _needed_ everything to go according to plan. But when Shido had stood in front of her, and all but begged her not to pull the trigger, she had seen the look in his eyes. Something had told her, that if she pulled the trigger, she wouldn’t just be killing her clone – she’d be destroying anything that existed between Shido and herself too. Yet for all her declarations that their feelings meant nothing to her, she found herself unable to carry through with the act. Her heart had wavered, as she listened to his impassioned pleas for her to be better. A notion she would have scoffed at ordinarily, but it was the sheer emotion that she saw in his eyes and heard in his voice that stayed with her. He genuinely wanted her to be a better person.

And despite herself, Kurumi couldn’t help but remember Origami’s words from the night before.

_…he genuinely cares for our wellbeing and our happiness…including yours…_

_And if you use sex to hurt him – then you are truly deserving of your title as the Worst Spirit._

“What would you say now, Origami-san?” Kurumi murmured to herself, wondering how she had gotten herself into this mess. Unwilling to think about it any longer, she let the exhaustion take her. She was only just aware of the covers shifting as another clone pulled them over her naked form. The clone smiled, and gently brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. Kurumi could barely feel that either, but to her exhausted mind, she dreamed that Shido’s hand had done so, and Kurumi couldn’t help but smile. 

Her last thought before succumbing to sleep was that as far as backfiring plans were concerned, this one at least had backfired in a spectacularly special way.


End file.
